Inverted Spectrum
by Author Roy
Summary: After the wedding, things are getting better for Ranma and Akane. But one day, he wakes up in someone else's bed, someone else's clothes, and someone else's house, and no clue how he got there. What's worse, people seem to think he IS that someone else. And he's not the only one. All around Tokyo, people are finding themselves in similar situations... HSDK, R1/2, Sailor Moon, YYH
1. Chapter 1

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_**Inverted Spectrum**_

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Ranma ran towards the Tendo Dojo with his fiance's hand in his – or rather, her – own, under the pelting rain of a powerful thunderstorm. Droplets of water relentlessly pounded the already soaked couple as they made their way down the street, Akane holding her book bag above her in a futile attempt to block the water from her face. Ranma looked up and glared at the distant clouds, cursing under her breath, and glanced back at her fiancé as they neared the dojo.

"We're almost there!" She yelled out at the other teen. Akane blinked and looked at her, then nodded and they both redoubled their efforts.

Only ten seconds later they were in through the front gate and running towards the door to the house. Ranma opened the door and both teens stepped into the genkan and shut the door behind them. Akane leaned on the wall while Ranma sat down, both of them panting to catch their breath.

"We're home!" Akane yelled out into the dark house. Her oldest sister poked her head from behind a wall and looked at the two.

"Oh, welcome ba... Ah, you're _soaking wet_! I'll be right back with some towels for you two," She said, before disappearing again.

"Thank you!" Akane called out, taking her shoes off.

Ranma sighed and took the already loose tie out of her hair, letting it fall to her shoulders. The redhead looked up at the roof and clicked her tongue in annoyance at the pitter patter of water falling all around them.

'_Figures this would happen __**today**_,' She thought in annoyance. She glanced over at her fiancé and frowned. "Sorry, Akane. Those clouds came out of nowhere."

"It's not your fault." Akane said with a roll of her eyes. "The park's not going anywhere. We can go tomorrow, after school," she said.

Ranma frowned. It was hard for them to get together, alone, on school days – every wacko in town seemed to make it their life's work to bother them during and after school. Only on the rare weekends did they have a chance to spend time together.

"Well… okay…"

"Ranma, Akane, here you go." Kasumi returned to the hall with two large towels which the other teens gratefully accepted.

"Ah yeah, sorry about this," Ranma said as she dried herself off, starting with her hair and head and working her way down.

"It's okay," Kasumi said with a smile. "Unfortunately, the power's out, so you're going to have to wait for a little while to change." She said apologetically.

"_Ahhh,_ crap," Ranma muttered, looking up at the lights. '_So __**that's **__why it's dark._' After a series of very _unfortunate _accidents, the Tendo residence had switched over to full electricity despite it being rather expensive to do so. She shook her head and sighed, standing up and kicking her shoes off. "That's okay, I'll figure out some way to pass the time or something," Ranma said.

"Mmm, I'll be in my room," Akane said, walking away. "I've got to get out of these wet clothes."

"You should change clothes too, before you catch cold." Kasumi said, looking at Ranma.

"Yeah, I figured." Ranma said, hanging her towel over her shoulders. Kasumi nodded and turned away, while Ranma tied her hair back into a pigtail. The martial artist started walking for the guest room, her mind going back to the matter of finding time to be with her fiancé. It was only recently that the two had actually started taking their relationship seriously; after the whole wedding disaster two months before, it had been _Akane _that approached Ranma and asked if he wanted to see a new martial arts movie that was coming out.

The martial artist himself hadn't realized that the outing was a date until halfway through the movie, when he noticed Akane very _**blatantly **_(though she herself didn't seem to realize how obvious it was) watching other couples and then later on imitating other girls by snuggling up to him or such. The rest of the night was a very awkward experience for both, and neither of their faces resumed a normal color until sometime the next week. It was now April, and the school year had just started again, making both of them second year students. But Ranma wasn't too sure she could take much more of school; it'd felt like ten years of academic torture had been stuffed into one there.

The teen finished tying up her hair and opened the door to the guest room, then blinked as she looked in.

"Eh?" She looked around the room and frowned. Genma's travel pack and his mother's suitcase were both missing, as was any sign that the room had been occupied all day. She walked into the room and noticed a folded up note on the floor. She knelt down and picked it up. It was addressed to her in her mother's handwriting. She unfolded it and started reading.

_Ranma_,

_Your father and I have decided to take a trip together to reconnect. We'll be back in a week._

_Mother_

Ranma blinked.

"Well that's rather sudden," She muttered, before looking around. "But they took all of their stuff. Just for a trip?" She frowned and then shrugged.

After changing clothes to a white tank top and blue shorts, she walked over to the window and looked out with a frown. She'd hoped to spar with her father, but he was gone now. It'd be nice if Ryouga showed up, but she was starting to get annoyed with the pig's little '_habit_', and had planned to talk with him about it as soon as possible. She hadn't seen him since the failed wedding, and while that wasn't at all strange for the lost boy, things were starting to get boring without him. No one else in town besides the old man, Happosai, or the ghoul measured up, and the old fart was always busy chasing and being chased after by girls while Cologne was just plain uninclined to fight.

And she didin't really want to have anything to do with fighting the Joketsuzoku anyway…

She sighed and turned around, leaning on the wall next to the window.

'_Hmm… There's gotta be something to do…_' He thought. '_Maybe Akane would…_'

Her eyes widened as she suddenly realized the answer to her boredom.

'_That's right! Akane's…_' She grinned and started walking towards the door. '_…a martial artist too! …Enough of one, anyway!_'

-x-x-x-

A bit later, Ranma walked back into the guest room with a sigh. Akane _was_ a martial artist, but she wasn't _nearly_ as skilled or focused, and it'd turned more into a lesson than a sparring match. Though her fiancé had been upset with losing so handily, she'd lit up with a determination to get better, and listened to advice. The other teen was actually still practicing in the dojo, but Ranma had left out of boredom.

Even after an hour, the power had yet to come back on, and though the rain had let up, it hadn't stopped altogether.

"Something big must have broken. Maybe I'll just nap until its back on," She sighed, rubbing her stomach. "Hopefully dinner'll be ready when I wake up." The redhead walked over and opened the closet, grabbed her rolled up futon and carried it over to the center of the room. She rolled it out just as the door opened.

"Ah, there you are, Ranma-kun." Ranma looked up to see the eldest Tendo daughter standing at the door. "The radio said that the power should be back on within the hour. They had to replace some old power lines." She said.

"Ah, okay." Ranma nodded. "Thanks for letting me know."

"You're welcome," The elder girl smiled and left.

Ranma sat down on the futon and laid back, then stared up at the ceiling.

"Hmm…" She turned her body and lay down on her side. The teen groaned and turned around again. She sighed and reached up to squeeze one of her breasts in annoyance. '_You know, I don't think I'll ever get used these things flopping about. Just whose idea of a joke was this, anyway?_'

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_**Chapter 1 **_

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Ranma yawned and blinked her eyes open as she slowly faded back into the world of the living. The first thing she noticed was how bright it was.

"Eh… Morning… already…?"

The second thing she noticed was how she was no longer in the Tendo Dojo.

"Oh great," She groaned and quickly sat up, looking around the room. "Was I kid…napped?" Feeling the familiar restriction of tight clothing, she looked down at herself and took in her own appearance.

Her hair now fell down to her elbows and she was wearing pink, rose-print flannel. She was lying in a large western bed with dark red blankets and silk sheets, and the bed had elegant, semi-transparent drapes.

"The heck…?" She muttered, holding her hands up. "What's going on here?!" She scowled and hopped out of the bed, then started looking around.

The rather spacious room followed a similar theme, with variants of pink and red as a constant. The room was decorated extravagantly, with a plush pink loveseat and a velvet red dresser. The carpet was more burgundy in color, but there was a fluffy pink rug in the middle of the room. There were fluffy stuffed animals of various sizes scattered about, and a mahogany desk with a large vanity mirror on top of it. A widescreen television hung on the wall across from her bed.

"What the hell is this?!_"_

There was a knocking sound and she turned her head to the large white door on her left. The door, knob, and frame were all just as exquisitely crafted as the rest of the room. It was like she was in some kind of… western manor.

"Young miss! Is there something wrong?" The voice of a young man came from the other side. "Please say something!"

"Young miss?" Ranma muttered, confused. "Uh, err…" Her mouth opened and closed several times as rapidly looked around the room, then down at herself, then the door.

"Miss, I'm coming in!" The man yelled. The door opened and the young man walked into the room. He was dressed in a black suit that reminded the young martial artist of a stereotypical butler. The man spotted her and blinked, and the anxiety drained from his face. "Ah, you're… okay?" The man asked.

"Um…" Ranma stared at him. He was about a head taller than her, had pale skin, and short hair. His features were plain, and he had a medium build. '_Who's this guy?_'

"I'm sorry to barge in, miss, but I was afraid something had happened," He explained. "I heard yelling…"

"Uh…" Ranma shook her head, then fixed a frown on the man. "Who the heck are you?" She demanded, taking up a martial arts stance. "Where am I?"

The man stared at her for a moment, then sighed and hung his head.

"Young miss… I know you don't want to go this new school, but you can't stay home on the first day!"

"Huh?" Ranma blinked in confusion as the man walked over and grabbed her by the wrist then started pulling her into the hallway.

"Come on, we've got to get ready for school. Miss Kajiwara will help you, she has a bath and your uniform waiting."

"W-what? Hey, leggo!" Ranma tried to pull her arm from the man's grip, but he held fast. "Let _go _of me, you jerk!" She said, putting all of her strength into pulling away, but he didn't budge. Her eyes widened. '_This guy… he's __**strong!**_'

"Come now, is it really worth this much struggling? I'm sure you'll make new friends!" The man said exasperatedly as he lead her away from the room. "There's _tons_ of fun things to do in even a _normal_ high school!"

"What the heck are you talking about?!" She demanded.

He sighed again.

"Please don't try to say you've got amnesia again, young miss," He said. "That spontaneous recovery the last two times kind of clued us in."

Ranma blinked.

"Huh?"

The man chuckled.

"You're a good actor, I'll give you that. But please, just try to behave, just this once?" He asked, turning around and looking down at her.

"Listen buddy, I _really_ don't know what you're talkin' about. I think you got me mistaken for someone else."

"You're even changing your manner of speech," He muttered, shaking his head. "Maybe you _should_ be an actor." He turned and knocked on yet another elaborate wooden door, and it opened, revealing a plump woman dressed as a maid. "Kajiwara-san," The man said with a heavy sigh. "She's got amnesia again."

"I heard you coming," The woman said, reaching over to grab Ranma with meaty hands. "Come on child, even if you've got amnesia you're going to school." The woman pulled Ranma into the room and shut the door behind her. Ranma stumbled a bit as the woman locked the door, quickly turned, and scuttled off.

Ranma blinked and looked around the bathroom in awe; there was a bathtub in the black marble floor that was full of water and bubbles. There was also an open shower stall with two thick glass walls on the far side of the bathroom, set in the similarly black marble walls that went around the room.

"This is a _washroom_…?" She muttered.

"Come now, you've got less than an hour to get ready," The woman said, snapping the martial artist out of her reverie. "So go ahead and get in."

Ranma looked down at the tub and blinked.

'_Hmm, well, at least this will clear everything up. Can't say they'll be too happy, though._' She quickly whipped her pajama shirt and pants off and dropped them on the floor, much to the dismay of the woman watching her. The woman shook her head and walked over to pick up the discarded clothing as Ranma glared at her underwear.

'_Eww, panties_!' She quickly discarded them and walked over to the tub. Luckily, there was a towel next to it, so when she transformed and shocked the poor maid, he'd be able to run away with _something_ covering him up. She doubted her clothes were anywhere in this building, and the people probably wouldn't take too kindly to him borrowing someone else's clothes after this little misunderstanding.

She plunged into the water and sighed in relief. The water was hot and refreshing. Her breasts and hair freely floated, and the warmth of the water softly caressed her body. It was very relaxing-

Ranma frowned. Something was wrong. _Horribly_ wrong.

"The heck!?" She shouted, looking down at them. "No. No! No! _No!_"

"What is it _now_?" The maid demanded, looking down at her.

"Why am I still a _girl_!?" Ranma demanded, scowling up at her. "What did you people _do_ to me?!"

"What _nonsense _are you talking child?!" The woman demanded, walking over to her. "First _amnesia_, now you're..!" The woman shook her head, closed her eyes and sighed. "Calm down, Chie… just… calm down… this is a difficult time for her."

Ranma stared at the woman as she muttered and started to regulate her breathing. She was feeling a bit sheepish, yet she knew she had a reason to be angry too. The teen's self-consciousness won over and she looked up at the woman with a slight grimace.

"Um, sorry for yelling…" she muttered despite herself.

"Apology accepted," The larger woman said with a smile. "Now come on, let's get you ready."

"O, okay, but, uh, _what for_, exactly?" Ranma asked with a frown.

"Your first day of school at Juuban Municipal High School."

Ranma blinked.

"Huh? Juuban? What about Furinkan?"

"_Furinkan_?" The woman blinked. "Why would you go all the way there just for school?" She asked. "That's even further than your last school, dear! At least Blue Rose Academy had a prestigious reputation. I can't see why you'd want to go to just another high school in an entirely different ward."

Ranma looked over at the woman and sighed.

"Listen lady… Sorry to say, but my name's Ranma Saotome, and I'm _from_ Furinkan. There's been some kinda mistake here,"

"Okay then, Ranma-kun," The woman said. "I'll play along with your story, if you humor me."

"Huh?"

"Let's say that you're… Teriha Fujibayashi, and you're starting your first day of school at Juuban High. Will you go along with that, _at least_ for today?"

Ranma frowned.

"Erm…" She sighed "Can I at least have a phone call? I know I can prove it if I get…" She blinked. '_My parents are on vacation, and I don't know where they are… so that leaves the Tendos. Not that it changes where I'm calling…_' She looked up at the woman. "If I can call the dojo where I live, I know I can prove that you've got the wrong person."

"You live at a dojo?" The woman asked with a smile.

"I'm engaged to the owner's daughter." Ranma said with a slow nod. "And I'm not a girl. Er, it's… a long story."

"Well," The woman picked up a small washcloth and bar of soap. "We don't have much time, but I'll listen to what I can. In exchange, all I ask is that you _bathe_." She said, handing the cloth and soap to Ranma. Ranma accepted both and looked down at them.

"Um, in the bathtub?" She asked.

"Yes, dear, don't worry about the dirt, I'll clean it out."

Ranma shrugged and then started to bathe as she went into her tale.

-x-x-x-

Ten minutes later, Ranma was staring at a girl's school uniform on the counter beside the bathroom sink.

"I'm not going to wear this." The red-head said, turning to look at the woman

"Please don't make this any harder than it already is, dear." The woman said.

"No way, I'm a guy!" The teen shouted. "Listen, I shouldn't even be sticking around here. I'm sorry but, I'm just gonna go home now." She turned and started towards the room's exit.

"Dressed like that?" The woman asked, and Ranma froze and looked down at herself. She was covered only in a white towel.

"I've worn worse!" Ranma snorted, continuing towards the door.

"Please tell me you're not serious, young miss…" The woman asked. Seeing Ranma open the door, she sighed and rubbed her temples. "Fine, fine! You can call this dojo if you just put on the uniform, okay?" She said.

Ranma frowned, then looked over at the uniform. Honestly, it _was_ preferable to the towel, which would likely end up getting stolen or something at some point.

"Fine but… do I _have_ to wear the panties?" She asked.

The woman gave her an appalled look.

"What are you saying, young lady? _Of course_ you have to wear the panties! Honestly!" The woman grabbed the uniform and carried it over to her. The teen accepted it and looked down at it.

"Well, that guy's gotta have some boxers, right? That butler guy!"

"That's disgusting, young lady." The woman said with a revolted look on her face. "You're taking this act a little too far, don't you think?"

"It's not an _act!_" Ranma snapped, gritting her teeth. "Fine, I'll just put on the stupid panties. But I'm calling the dojo after that!"

"Yes, yes…" The woman sighed.

-x-x-x-

Ranma looked at herself in the mirror with a sigh. The uniform she was wearing had a navy blue skirt that went down to just above her knees and long-sleeved white shirt with a matching navy blue collar and sleeve cuffs, although there was a red-stripe that went around them, just before the edge. Her hair had a bit more luster to it than usual, and was styled in a braid, but it was slightly thicker than her usual pigtail and tied together with a pink ribbon.

'_I look pretty good_.' She thought, striking a coy pose in the uniform. '_I wonder if it's innate talent?_' She switched to a karate stance.

"Okay, you've only got forty minutes left to get to school," the woman said. "If you want to make a good impression, you should be there as early as you can."

"What? I'm calling the dojo so we can get this straightened out. I don't need to make a _good impression_." Ranma said with a huff.

"You can use your cell phone on the way to school." The woman said. Ranma frowned. "For now, hurry on downstairs, your breakfast should be waiting for you. I'll take care of the bathroom, young miss."

"Breakfast? That I can do! Thanks!" She quickly turned and ran to the door, then opened it and looked around. '_The food will probably be as good as the rest of the place!_' On either side of the door was a long, extended hallway. The wooden floor had a long green rug running its length, and the white walls were covered with expensive looking paintings. At one end there was a stand with an expensive vase, and the other, a stand with the bust of some guy.

She quickly turned and started jogging down the next corridor, ignoring the maid dusting off a painting. The maid noticed her and cried out in surprise.

"Ah! Young miss, you shouldn't run in the house!"

Ranma slowed down and frowned, then sighed and shook her head. She continued onto the large double doors in the middle of the hall that were propped open, revealing a grand staircase.

"Urr…" Ranma's jaw dropped at the size of the room. It was wider than the dojo's interior in either direction, and was comprised of different three floors. The third floor consisted of a balcony with a marble railing on three sides, and the staircase itself on the other side of the room. Both the left and right side of the room had its own staircase that met in the middle on the second floor, and then converged and stretched out towards the center of the room from the wall.

"Huh…" She walked out to the railing and looked the room over. Large and expensive looking paintings covered the walls, but they were nothing compared to the portrait across the room.

In the portrait stood a lifelike rendition of herself, an older woman, and similar man in formal western dress. The painted girl-Ranma's hair was in curls and she wore the most elegant, frilly pink dress with ruffles she'd ever seen in her life. It looked like a veritable nightmare to move around in. The woman wore a similar dress, but it was dark red, and the man wore an exquisite tuxedo that seemed to enhance his frame.

'_That must be the girl they're mistaking me for,_' Ranma thought. '_Though I guess I can see it. Creepy._'

"Young miss?"

"_Buh?!_" Ranma jumped and turned around to look at the young maid she'd passed in the hall.

"You should hurry up. You don't want to be late for your first day at this new school, do you?" The woman put a hand on her shoulder. "Just forget about all the things that happened at Blue Rose. You'll make new friends, okay?"

Ranma rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Um, right, see you later," The red head said, turning and pulling herself up onto the railing. She frowned as her arms protested, and she fell back down to the ground from halfway into the air. "W-what?" She muttered. She tried lifting herself up again and frowned, then settled for lifting a leg over the railing. '_My arms must be tired_… _somehow…_'

"Mistress! What are you _doing_?!"

Ranma blinked and looked over at the maid.

"Jumping," She said simply.

"What?! _No!_" The maid cried out in a distressed voice and grabbed her by the arm, then started pulling her back over the railing. "I know you're upset, but please try to understand! It's not something worth _killing_ yourself over!"

"What? But it's faster!" Ranma cried out and tried to resist the woman, but to her shock, was easily pulled back over the railing. '_Is everyone here some kind of monster?!_' She thought, looking at the woman in shock. She studied the woman's body and frowned, seeing that she actually had a very average build. '_What the __**hell**__?_'

"Come now, let's walk down the stairs together," The maid said with a sigh.

"What? I can go by myself!" Ranma snorted, trying to pull away again.

"You promise not to jump off?" The maid asked, looking at her.

"What? Of course I'm gonna jump, it's faster!"

The maid just shook her head.

-x-x-x-

Ranma sat down at the head of the luxury table in the lavish dining room and for once did not focus on the magnificence of the room around her.

Instead, she focused on the splendid plates of food before her. It wasn't much, but it smelled delicious. It was an American affair, with two slices of french toast, two pancakes, two sausage links, two slices of bacon, and two over-easy eggs. She quickly grabbed a fork and knife and began to tear into the deluxe breakfast.

The two maids on her left giggled at her table manners and began to whisper to each other.

"She must be having another growth spurt."

"Mmmm, that was pretty good," Ranma said, wiping some egg off of her chin and licking it off of her finger.

The two maids stopped whispering and looked at her in shock. The three plates were spotless.

"Did you make this?" Ranma asked, looking up at the one she'd heard.

"Err, no, Master Shigenuma prepared your breakfast for you, as he always does, young miss." The woman said.

Ranma blinked. She didn't know who Shigenuma was, but apparently he was a master. A master at cooking.

"My lady, are you enjoying your break…fast?"

Ranma blinked at the familiar voice of the man who'd found her that morning, and turned to see him standing at a door.

"Has your food still not come?" The man asked, clearly upset. "Oh dear. I wonder what's taking them? You're going to have to eat on the way, we've only got twenty seven minutes left until your class starts!"

"Nah, I already ate, but hey, I was supposed to get a phone call," Ranma said with a frown.

"Phone call?" The man blinked and frowned. "You can use your cell phone on the way there, can't you, mistress?" The man asked.

"What?" Ranma blinked.

"Well, if you are done, then come on, we don't have much time," He said, looking at a wristwatch. "If we leave now, we should be able to arrive with five minutes to spare." He turned and started walking back towards the door he'd come out of. Go on, your things are by the door."

"Er… wait, where's my cell phone?"

"I just said it's by the door," The man said.

'_Hmm. I'm guessing the door's that way,_' She thought, pushing her chair back and standing up. She followed after him.

"Miss, did you forget something?" One of the maids asked when she reached the door.

"Eh?" Ranma blinked, then turned and looked at the woman.

"If so, then one of us can get it for you while you wait for Mitsukoshi," She said.

"Er…" Ranma blinked, and looked up at the door. She turned and looked around, then started walking towards one of the other doors in the room. "Err, no, I'm fine," She said.

"Then perhaps you should go wait for him outside?" The maid said with a smile.

"…Listen, I'm just trying to get my phone call," Ranma growled as she started towards another door. That time the maids just giggled to themselves and she took it as a sign that it was the right way. She pushed through the door and came into another hallway, the end of which lead to yet another well decorated room, this one with two bronze statues evenly spaced apart from the middle of the room. The walls were painted with a renaissance era-esque image that wrapped around the whole room and stopped at the two white pillars framing the archway, which contained very large and elegant double doors, whose own knobs were carved into the face of some noble beast.

"Uh," Ranma looked around. This place was really starting to wear on her. Why couldn't she have at least been kidnapped by Japanese? She shook her head.

"Young miss," A maid standing under the pillars held up a pink backpack that had various knick-knacks attached to it.

"Er, thanks," Ranma walked over to the maid and accepted the backpack, and immediately started looking through it for the phone. The maid opened the door and Ranma frowned as she stepped forward into the morning sunlight. She finally recognized the phone as one of the cute knick-knacks and shook her head as she opened it. "Man, what's the world coming to?" She muttered, before she started dialing the number to the Tendo residence.

She looked up and proceeded to blankly stare at the mansion's massive gardens. The grass seemed to stretch on in either direction, with flowers, hedges, and statues dotting the landscape. In front of her was a roundabout with three roads – one on either side of her and one leading away from her, and a patch of grass and fountain dotting the center. She stood on a patio with stone stairs that went down to both her right and left, and had a railing and an arched stone roof.

"_We're sorry; the number you have called has been disconnected…"_

Ranma frowned again when she heard the machine.

"Don't tell me… Soun forgot to pay the phone bills again?" The teen muttered, before sighing. "Urgh… not a time for this!" She growled and put the phone into the backpack as a stretch limousine drove up to the roundabout from the left. "You know, I've had enough of this. I've got to go and find out what's going on here! Breakfast was fun, but…" Ranma tensed and started running forward. The teen leapt up and over the rail and then quickly leapt over the limousine and started towards the main street…

Or so she'd planned to do. She was incredibly shocked when her jump instead ended up with her feet colliding with the railing, causing her to violently swing over the edge and slam into the wall before falling straight down into the grass and hedges below.

"Waugh!" She cried out in shock, surprise, and most of all, pain. "Ow!" She sat up from her place on the ground and rubbed her knees, which had hit the grass first. The fall hadn't been too far and the grass was soft, yet she could feel it as acutely as if she'd been clobbered by Ryouga. "What the hell!?"

"Young miss!" She looked up and saw that the limousine had been parked, and the driver, the same young butler from earlier, was staring at her in terror. "Are you alright?!" The man started running around the limo and over towards her, and she growled, standing up and dusting herself off. "You mustn't play so rough, you'll hurt yourself and dirty your dress!"

"I'm just fine!" The teen snapped. '_Then again, no I'm not! What the hell just happened?!_' Ranma muttered, her mind going back to that moment and trying to analyze the entire sequence of actions. '_First, I jumped. I should have cleared the damn fence easy. I wasn't distracted, and I used the right amount of leg strength. So what's the hold up?_' She frowned. '_Let's try that again._' She looked over at the butler who was running towards her and then jumped up and over his head-

Only to fall back down to the ground before she cleared three feet, and land with her leg extended forward.

The girl's eyes widened as she instantly noticed what was wrong.

'_Chi,_' She thought to herself. '_Chi, there was no chi! And for some reason it took much more effort than it should have even just for that light hop!_' She sat there and closed her eyes for a moment. After training in the art for her entire life, it had become instinctive to burn more chi for almost every action, which was what made her so capable.

"Young miss! What are you doing?" The man, Mitsukoshi if she remembered, asked.

"I'm trying to find my center," Ranma said.

"Can you find your center in the vehicle, my lady? We're short on time!"

Ranma sighed and looked up at the man.

"There's no way I'm going to some school I don't even belong too, just because you guys mistook me for someone else. Will you get that into your thick skull already!?"

The man sighed.

"Young miss, why do you have to make things more difficult than they are?" The man sighed and shook his head. "Come on now. Don't do this to yourself, you've only got twenty three or so minutes until class starts!"

Ranma sighed and looked up at him in annoyance, then closed her eyes and focused.

"Fine. If I have to carry you to the car, then I will," the man said, as he began to do just that.

Ranma continued to ignore him though; her brow was creased and her body was growing warm from the effort she was putting into her search. Worldly sensation fell away from her and she was swallowed up into an all-consuming darkness as she dove beyond her subconscious and into the raw quintessence of her own existence.

-x-_**Yusuke**_-x-

Urameshi Yusuke's eyes opened and he immediately winced at the grating sound of the alarm going off right in his ears. The part-time spirit detective, part-time ramen chef clumsily reached over the side of the futon and felt around for the source of the noise, and once he found it, he started pounding his fist into it to make it stop. When it did, he stopped pounding it and sighed, rolling back into bed.

"Damn alarm… I don't even _have_ a stupid alarm…" He muttered as he closed his eyes and tried to get some more sleep.

As the thought echoed around inside his skull, there was a strange, nagging _feeling_ that something was wrong with what had just happened. Four minutes later, just as sleep began to creep back up on him, he frowned and slowly opened his eyes to peer over at the alarm.

There, on the cheap, worn carpet, sat a digital alarm clock with red numbers lit up, informing him that it was 7:36 A.M.

"Eh?" He muttered. "When did I get that?"

The alarm went off again. He quickly pounded it again in an attempt to silence it, but with no success. Annoyed and slightly confused as to why it didn't explode into a billion pieces, he growled and grabbed the wire connecting it to the wall and pulled it out. His cognition took over as he sat up on his futon and stared at the alarm in confusion.

'_When __**did**__ I get that?_' He frowned and wiped some sleep from his eyes, and finally noticed that his blanket was different. "And this?_"_ He muttered, before looking around the room.

And then he realized he wasn't in his room.

"Huh?" He frowned, looking the place over. It was a tiny studio without even a bathroom or stove – more like a big closet than an apartment, like the one he'd gotten after moving out of his mother's house, but without any of his personal effects. He frowned and shook his head, then looked it over again. _'Did I fall asleep at someone else's place?'_ He frowned and looked out the room's only window. He didn't recognize the area outside. He was still feeling somewhat groggy, and his memories seemed to be pretty hazy. "Musta had a few too many drinks or something…" He muttered. He didn't feel particularly hung over, but he was struggling to come up with any other explanation.

'_I've never been here before. Did someone find me or something?'_ He yawned again and stood up, looking around. _'Huh. Looks like a student lives here.' _There was an open briefcase leaning against a wall, with worn books and notebook paper sticking halfway out, and a school uniform was lying neatly folded next to it. He stood up and looked around for his own clothes, then frowned when he noticed they weren't there.

'_Great, how am I supposed to get out of here?' _He thought, looking around. There were two other school uniforms, but that was it. It was as if the guy living there had nothing else. '_Whatever. I'll just throw some of those on and pay him back some time,'_ He thought, grabbing some of the clothes. As he started to put them on, he stopped and stared down at himself.

He wasn't wearing his own underwear.

"…_Okay."_

Ignoring whatever possibility that represented, he quickly looked around the room for his own underwear. There was another pair like the one he was wearing, but it clearly wasn't his. The cute little animal prints alone said that much. Without any alternative, he simply resumed putting the pants on. '_I'll take polkadots over pokemon any day of the week._'

Dressed and mildly annoyed at the situation, he looked around for any sign of where the guy who owned the place might be.

'_Feh, maybe I'll take a look around the neighborhood, see just where the hell I am. Might figure out who it is then,' _He thought as he walked towards the door. He took a step outside and saw that he was on the second floor. He quickly located the stairs and walked towards them, trying to remember what exactly had happened. '_Last night I closed shop at around ten. They were having some kind of event because of the baseball game and I made a killing outside the stadium, enough to cover my rent in one day. So I went out to celebrate with the guys… we went to a bar… after that is kinda hazy…' _He frowned.

"Huh." He looked up. "I don't feel hung-over or anything…" He narrowed his eyes. '_This better not be one of Kuwabara's stupid jokes.'_

-x-_**Ranma**_-x-

'_Where… where is it?_' She swayed about in blackness, and after moments of frantic searching, she finally found her center. Gone was the raging bonfire of prime life force, powerful yet controlled energy just waiting to be grasped. Instead, there shining in the darkness was a tiny, silvery orb. She held up a hand and the ball appeared, floating just above it, just inches away from her palm. It gave off a slight heat and strange, liquid-like smoke seemed to swirl around it and radiate in every direction.

'_Is it compressed? Sealed?_' She frowned as she studied it and wrapped her hand around it. But there was no feeling of… restraint, or binding… It just felt… _diminutive_… and raw.

Ranma's eyes sprang open and she saw that she was sitting in the back of the limousine; already they were coasting through the thick congested streets of the morning rush. But the teen paid it no mind.

"What's going on?" She muttered.

"Hm?" The driver glanced at her in his rearview mirror. "Finally speaking again, are you?"

"Huh?" Ranma blinked and looked at him. "How long was I silent?"

"Well, I'd say about fifteen minutes." He said. "That's a new record, isn't it?"

"Record?" Ranma muttered. "For what?"

"The silent treatment?" The man snorted. "Though I figured you were just thinking…"

Ranma frowned and looked down at her hands.

'_What __**was **__that? Did I get hit with something like the weakness moxibustion?_' She frowned. '_I never knew it was possible for someone's chi to be so small… but then again…_' She looked up at the man, Mitsukoshi, and frowned, narrowing her eyes. '_Most people don't have enough for you to see it unless you look really hard… could that mean that I'm at the same as them?_' She frowned and crossed her arms, her foot tapping the ground. '_How did this happen? It's gotta be some kinda magic. I've gotta get out of here and figure out how to undo it!' _

"We're here," The driver announced, and she looked up sharply. They were in a school's parking lot.

'_I've got to make a break for it…'_ She thought as he opened his own door and started walking around the car to her side. _'Though, to sneak in and do this to me while I'm sleeping… I was just about to get some hot water, damn it!'_ The man opened the door and smiled at her.

She stood up out of the car and as he shut the door behind her immediately took off running towards the street. She glanced back and saw that Mitsukoshi was staring at her in shock, his mind just barely registering what was going on.

And then she crashed into something hard and warm.

"Auck!" She cried out and fell down to her bottom. "Ow!" she blew a breath through clenched teeth and rubbed her sore butt. "What gives!"

"Hey! What was that for?"

Ranma opened her eyes and blinked several times, then looked over at what she'd run into. Sitting on the ground across from her was a boy her age, dressed in a school uniform and wearing a frown on his face.

"Why are you asking me? You're the one who was standing in the way!" She growled, getting to her feet and rolling up her sleeves. The boy got up as well and scowled at her, shaking a fist.

"What's yer hurry?! And shouldn't you be lookin' where yer goin'?!"

"Well I-"

Ranma felt two strong arms grab hold of her shoulders and froze.

"My apologies, sir, the young lady seems to have taken leave of her senses this morning," Mitsukoshi said. "Are you injured?"

"Eh?" The teen frowned and looked himself over. "Not really, but…"

"Lemme go! I don't need to go to this stinkin' school, damn it! I gotta get back to the dojo!" Ranma struggled to pull away, but the servant's grip was steadfast.

"Ugh… Young Miss…" The man shook his head and looked at the young man standing before him. "Again, I apologize for the inconvenience. Unfortunately, class is to be starting soon, and we still have to go see the counselor, as this is her first day here. She's a little nervous," The man said with a chuckle as Ranma desperately increased her efforts to escape.

"Eh?" The teen stared at them, then smirked. "So you're stuck going to school, eh? Heh heh! Sucks to be you!" He looked over at the butler and grinned. "You make sure the little lady gets to class, okay?" He stuck his tongue out at Ranma and made a face. "See ya later, chump!" The teen turned and started to skip down the sidewalk, humming a very smug tune.

"What? You little punk!-"

"Come now, young miss," Mitsukoshi said. "You don't want to be associating with someone like that. We should get to seeing the counselor." He started to drag her back towards the school building with a resolute expression, ignoring that she was now slamming her fists into him.

"No! Damn it! Ngnurgh! Lemme go!"

-x-_**Kenichi-**_x_**-**_

Shirahama Kenichi opened his eyes and looked upon his room for what must have been the first time in weeks if not months. He blinked in confusion as he surveyed the room and found that it was just as he'd remembered despite the multiple bookshelves full of self-help books and other personal effects that he'd collected over the years, all of it was present. Everything was a little blurry, which he attributed to having just woken up, but it was the same as always. He looked down at his bedding and could see that it had a familiar set of blankets, one of several that he switched through. But he noticed one thing was off when he looked out to the window. The sun was already well over the horizon. It was past six o'clock, maybe even seven.

He quickly glanced around the room for his clock, and found that it was indeed past seven; 7:42 to be exact.

"Huh?" He blinked and rubbed his eyes as he slowly woke up and looked around. "That's strange… I remember falling asleep in the dojo… why am I here? And why did they let me sleep in?" The young teen frowned as he considered the possible implications. "That can only mean… they must be preparing some new kind of nightmarish training regimen for me, and they didn't want me to see it before it was ready." He sighed and rapidly wilted.

"Ah, well…" The young martial artist jumped to his feet and scrambled around the room looking for his clothing. Insane Martial Arts Masters or no, if he was slow, he'd be late to school.

"But man, I'm still pretty tired," He thought with a pained groan as he forced his body to move. It had been a long time since he'd felt so… lethargic; the senseis always made sure he'd gotten enough rest to endure their… delicate attentions. That was probably the best word for what he was feeling right now, he realized, as he put his uniform on. Maybe the senseis had seen that he was exhausted, and decided to give him a break for once?

Hah. Yeah, right.

"Ugh…" The teen groaned as he grabbed the book bag near his desk, shuffled through the door and to the bathroom, washed up, and finally made his way to the breakfast table. His mother and father were there eating, and it was with a bit of surprise that they looked up at him. Strangely enough, the table was only set for three people. A quick glance at the clock told him that there was no time to wonder about Honoka.

"Oh, Kenichi!" His father started. "You're up early!"

Kenichi blinked at that.

'_Does he know what training I've been doing recently?_' He thought to himself with a small, tortured frown. He picked up his egg from the plate and swallowed it whole, then grabbed his toast and sped off. "Sorry, gotta go or I'll be late!" He called out as he ran out the door.

He never got to see his parents stare after him in surprise before looking at one another in confusion.

Not twenty seconds after leaving his house, he began to feel that all too familiar burning sensation in his legs. Despite the pain, he kept running for two more blocks before he could feel himself reaching his limit. He bent over and panted, leaning against a wall and barely able to keep standing. Kenichi frowned and looked down at the ground. He was breathing roughly and his body was already coated in a light sheen of sweat. After a whole year and more of training he'd gotten _used_ to this sensation… but for it to happening so quickly?

"I must… be really tired," He thought. "My legs are still weak from the training…" He let his confusion show on his face as he looked up. He still had a few more blocks to go. "But I wasn't feeling this tired a minute ago," He muttered. "Strange…" Absently, he rubbed his eyes and tried to focus them properly. Things were still a little blurry, but it would likely go away in a minute or two. As strange as it was, though, he didn't let it stop him from making his way to school as quickly as possible.

Nearly ten minutes later, soaked in sweat and barely able to stand due to the pain in his legs, it was all he could do to stare up at his towering high school. Legs shaking and using a large stick to support his weight, he made it onto the school grounds and sighed as the bell for classes rang.

"Dang it…" He muttered as he made his way to the classroom.

When he got there he saw a multitude of familiar faces… as well as a number of faces he did not recognize.

"Huh?" The young martial artist frowned as he looked the students over in surprise and confusion. There were also a number of people who should have been there, that were missing. But no one besides him seemed to have noticed. The other students all talked amongst each other as the teacher in the front wrote something on the board in preparation for the school day. Some of the students stopped talking and started looking in his direction as soon as they noticed him. Several of them gave him looks of surprise when they noticed him and stopped talking in favor of staring, which lead to their conversation partners noticing and then doing the same. The class slowly grew quiet as the confusion spread across the room.

Kenichi's eyes darted around the room in search of one specific person as a feeling of unease began to build within him. He found her, sitting by a window and looking outside, but she seemed a bit distracted, like she was day dreaming.

Silently, Kenichi made his way into the room and over to where she was sitting. The seat just in front of her was empty, so he sat down right there and looked the room over in silence before leaning over to her desk.

"Psst. Miu-san," He said, shifting his gaze about the room. When she didn't look at him, he blinked and tried again. "Miu-san!"

Miu Fuurinji, the granddaughter of Kenichi's oldest master of the dojo he'd been living at for the past year, the girl who he'd had a crush on that entire time, blinked in surprise at her name being called, and turned her entire body to look at him. Noticing that he had her attention, he started whispering.

"Miu-san, something strange is going on here! Were some of our classmates swapped out?" He said. "Did I miss an announcement or something?"

Miu blinked at him as a look of confusion registered on her face.

"Miu-san?" He asked, a feeling of unease settling upon him.

She blinked again, then opened her mouth.

"Who are you?" The blonde teen asked, tilting her head.

Kenichi felt his body go rigid.

"I'm sorry… I feel like we've met before, but I can't quite…" She gave him a sheepish look and blushed.

"M-Miu-san?" He asked. "This… what?" He sighed. "Is this some kind of joke? That's not very nice…"

She turned a brighter shade of red.

"I'm sorry, maybe if you gave me your name I could…"

Kenichi remained silent, as did the rest of the class. The sound of the teacher writing on the board stopped after a moment, and the man started talking, calling the attention of most of the students.

"Now class, as you know, the cultural festival starts in… three…" The teacher went silent, but Kenichi hadn't registered any of those words in the first place. "Shirahama?"

"Y-you're kidding, right?" Kenichi blurted out to the girl he'd been working so hard to be able to protect for the past year. "You, you're joking…"

She shook her head and bowed sheepishly several times.

"I'm sorry…"

The world seemed to fall away from Kenichi Shirahama as he took in those words. A year and more of training under those hellish martial arts masters, and _living under the same roof_, and she was saying she didn't know who he was? It was… it was pretty impossible, now that he thought about it. She had to be playing with him, or… the masters! They'd put her up to this!

He chuckled and waved it off with a small smile.

"I see," He said sheepishly. "Sorry, then." With that, he turned around and scrunched up his brow in frustration. '_What's wrong with those people? Isn't there such a thing as too far?! How can they take advantage of a young innocent boy's heart like this!?_' He muttered to himself, the image of his masters laughing at him from the background appearing in his mind.

"Shirahama!" The teacher yelled out, startling the young martial artist. "It's nice that you're on time for once, but I would like for you to participate in the class."

"S-sorry sir!" He cried out, looking up at the teacher. The teacher looked a bit surprised at his response, and there was a mumble going around the rest of the class. "Uh, what was the question?"

"I said," The man started with a sigh, "Did you have any suggestions for the culture festival coming up in three weeks? …And did something happen to your glasses? Are you okay like that?"

Kenichi blinked.

"Glasses?" He blinked several times. '_I don't wear glasses…_' He frowned. "Uh… I'm fine… as for the culture festival… Uhm… well… we could…" He blinked several times as he tried to figure out what to suggest. Searching for some ideas, he glanced around the classroom, but the many unfamiliar faces only served to make him more uncomfortable. "Hm… ah…"

The teacher sighed and shook his head.

"That's okay, Shirahama." He looked over to one of the other students, one whom Kenichi didn't recognize. "Fujiwara-kun, do you have any ideas you would like to submit?" After a moment of being silent, the teacher sighed again and looked over the class. "If there is anyone with an idea, please do speak up." the man said. The students all looked amongst themselves and started muttering to their neighbors, but Kenichi ignored it.

The young martial artist was glancing out the corner of his eye at the girl behind him. It seemed that she'd started day dreaming again, and was staring out the window. There was a look on her face that reminded him of when he'd first met her.

'_Ah well, I'll just take it as it comes,'_ He decided, looking around the class room as other students volunteered ideas for the culture festival. "Chances are I'll end up in the gardening club with Izumi-san again..." He sighed as he looked the classroom over.

They still hadn't explained why so many of the students had been switched out, but no one else was making a big deal of it, so he decided to let it rest. When the first class started, and he got out his books, he paused to look at his hands. Something was a little… _off_ about them, but he couldn't place it. Shrugging again, he waited for the lesson to start.

_**-**_x_**-Ranma-**_x-

Ranma stared at the green haired woman sitting behind the desk with a frown. The counselor, whose name Ranma didn't care to learn, spoke with Mitsukoshi, who stood to the teen's left with a hand on her shoulder, in polite, even tones as the two traded pleasantries that had no place being said in Ranma's situation; weakened and trapped. Was the counselor, hell the whole school, in on it? She warily looked back from one to the other until the woman finally said something to her.

"Miss Fujibayashi, I'd like to welcome you to Juuban Municipal High School." The woman started. "I understand that you were a student of Blue Rose academy before this. While we can't give you the same treatment that you got there, we'll get you settled in soon enough. I know you'll do well here." She said.

Ranma only remained silent, watching the woman before her like a hawk.

"Have you thought about which club you'd like to join?" The woman asked.

Ranma frowned.

"Um… no?"

"Well, you'll have to do so by tomorrow," The woman said. "Participating in an extracurricular activity after classes are over is mandatory in this school. Now then… class has already started, but I will escort you there personally to explain the situation," The woman said, standing up. "Please do not make a habit of arriving late. We cannot afford to give any of our students special treatment. I hope you understand."

Ranma just gave her a disinterested look while Mitsukoshi nodded.

"Yes, we apologize for the inconvenience," The man said. "Please, lead the way."

-x-x-x-

Ranma followed the woman towards the classroom, with Mitsukoshi just behind her. The walk through the halls was quiet, and Ranma blinked. It was so unlike Furinkan; there were no recently patched holes in the walls from large scale destruction and as a result the paint on the walls wasn't chipping, the floor tiles weren't all cracked and missing in some places, and the lockers weren't so old they looked like they'd been bleached out in the sun because the school's maintenance funds weren't being sucked up by the constant patching up of said holes. There were literally no truant students wandering around, and looking through the windows, none of the classrooms they passed seem to have major troublemakers.

The place didn't exactly stink of new, but it was well kept.

Finally, they stopped before a classroom marked B-2, and Ranma blinked, brought out of her reverie as the counselor knocked on the door lightly before sliding it open.

"Excuse me, Hatanaka-sensei?" The woman said lightly.

"Ah! You're here? Then…" A warm middle aged man's voice flowed out of the room and into the hall. "Is she here?"

The counselor nodded before turning and smiling at Ranma, who glanced over at a smiling Mitsukoshi. She finally sighed before walking over to the door.

'_I'll have to figure out an escape plan, one that will take long for these idiots to notice…_' She thought bitterly as she stepped into the room.

"Ah, yes!" The balding, glasses wearing teacher, who wore a brownish suit and tie that looked to Ranma like a dirty rug, smiled and beckoned her over. Ranma went over and stood by his side and looked over the class. "Class, as I was saying earlier, we have a new student joining us as of today. This is Miss Teriha Fujibayashi. Is there anything you'd like to say about yourself, Fujibayashi-san?" The man asked, looking down at her.

Ranma glanced up at him, then looked back over the class.

"…" Ranma sighed and finally opened her mouth. "…I like martial arts." She said finally.

The teacher chuckled and patted her shoulder.

"Is that so? That's good! A healthy appreciation of our country's traditions is always admirable!" He said with a smile. "Is there anything else?" The man asked. Ranma looked up at him and frowned.

"Like what?"

"Uh… well…" The man looked over at the counselor, who was watching from the door with a smile on her face. "I'm to understand that you're… the daughter of Fuji Corporation's previous C.E.O?"

There were some gasps at that, and Ranma blinked. She didn't recognize the company, and looked up at him.

"…Um…I guess…" She said with a shrug. '_Wonder what they do,'_ She thought as the classroom was filled with mutterings around her.

"Right, well," The man smiled, but it looked like a bit of the wind had been taken out of his sails. He cleared his throat once and the class room quieted instantly. "Class, remember that while she is here, she is a student like the rest of you. I expect you all to treat her with the respect you would your other peers." He said. "Now then, Miss Fujibayashi, if you could take the empty chair next to Miss Tenou?" He pointed towards the middle of the class, where a tall blonde teen was sitting with her arms behind her head. There was only the one empty chair, so she walked up to it and sat down, setting her bag down on the floor beside her.

"Well then, Hatanaka-sensei, if you'll excuse me," The counselor said with a smile.

"Of course, of course," The man nodded as she shut the door behind herself.

Ranma glanced around the classroom as students all stared at her, and sighed, leaning on her desk. She noticed the blonde girl – Tenou - smiling at her out of the corner of her eye, and felt a tingle in her spine. The look at the other girl was giving her was one that she often received from a suitor right before something bad happened.

Ranma looked up at the board and tried not to shudder.

"Right, well, first period will be starting shortly. I want all of you to take care of Miss Fujibayashi." The home room teacher said, gathering his briefcase.

-x-x-x-

Ranma sighed as the teacher of the first class of the day, a young brunette, went on and on about something or other. She sat with her head resting on her arms, watching the woman in boredom. The woman was new to teaching, as apparently this was only her second year, and Ranma wasn't sure she was understanding what was being said, or not.

'_Way I see it, my best shot is to go to the bathroom sometime before lunch. That way, I get the 'bathroom' time plus the whole lunch period, and however long it takes them to notice after that.'_ She glanced outside the hall. _'But I know a place like this wouldn't just let me walk off campus. If I could switch to my normal boy form then it'd be easy but I'm locked…'_ She frowned. _'Hmm… Maybe… I'll use… but then again…'_

She sighed and tilted her head.

'_Yeah, I've really got no choice. I'm so weak without my chi, and my body doesn't seem to have any real muscle. I literally couldn't get away otherwise.'_ She shook her head. _'What the hell kind of magic did this? It's almost as bad as the curse!_'

There was a cough to her side and she glanced out the corner of her eye at the blonde girl…

'_No,_' Ranma thought frowning as she eyed the teen appraisingly. '_She's not just some girl…_'

She blinked as she noticed how the blonde was holding a folded note loosely in her direction. She turned her attention back to the teacher and surreptitiously accepted the note and opened it on her desk, under the cover of the arm that was still on it, without making a sound.

_Hey there. You look kinda rough. What's eating you? -Haruka_

Ranma glanced at the other teen out the corner of her eye, and noticed that the blonde was hiding a small smile while watching the teacher.

'_Hmm…'_ Ranma picked up her pencil for the first time that day and started to scribble under the question.

_I've been kidnapped by a rich family who is making me pretend to be their heiress or something and sending me to school in her place. Same old, same old. - Ranma_

She held the paper to her side without looking and it slid out of her grasp. She glanced at the blonde as the teacher droned on and on about something that was making absolutely zero sense, and noticed the blonde grinning.

After a moment, the note was ready again, and the blonde's smile had been subdued a bit.

'_Ranma? That a nickname? And you like kenpo? –Haruka'_

'_Yeah. Nickname. And yeah. Trained my whole life. -Ranma'_

'_Really? Jujutsu? – Haruka'_

'_Well, that and a lotta other stuff. –Ranma'_

'_Like?'_

'_Pretty much anything you can imagine.'_

'_Sounds impressive. But no matter how I look, you look a lot more delicate than that.'_

'_You think I'm lying?'_

'_Intuition says no on the lying. So what gives? Did you stop years ago or something?'_

'_The rich family stole my abilities somehow.'_

Ranma frowned when Haruka snorted, causing the teacher to turn and face them. The blonde quickly hid the note and proceeded to rub her nose.

"Sorry, I sneezed." She said.

"Ah, right… okay then…" The teacher adjusted her wide frame glasses and then turned back around. Haruka waited a long moment, then finally, before Ranma had even noticed that she had written something again, a new note was ready.

'_You're pretty funny. What kind of food do you like?'_

Ranma blinked and glanced towards the back of the classroom when she got the nagging feeling they were being watched. There, in a corner, sat another teen with aquamarine colored hair, and Ranma was getting a familiar vibe from her.

'_Anything that tastes good. Who's the chick in the back?'_

'_Which one?'_

'_The one giving me the eye.'_

'_Hm? Oh, Michiru. Heh heh, that's my fault, don't worry. I'll introduce you later.'_

Ranma blinked, then shrugged.

-x-_**Yusuke**_-x-

Yusuke frowned as he walked along the sidewalk. The area he'd found himself in wasn't very familiar at all, but after searching for a bit, he'd managed to discover that he had somehow been taken to Azabu Juuban.

'_Heh, wonder how that dumb broad is doin' in school,'_ He thought with a grin. '_Man,_ _I'm so glad I'm __**done**__ with that mess. Cookin' ramen ain't glorious, but it covers the rent.' _Of course, being a ramen chef could only cover the rent if he was actually working, and that was impossible given he didn't have the pocket change to get home. '_I'll have to see if the guy who lives at wherever the hell I woke up has some spare change. Otherwise, it's a long walk home…' _

Juuban was strangely absent of any youkai presence, but he paid it no mind and instead continued on. He stopped at a construction yard, and looked it over.

'_If I cut through here I can probably get there faster,_' He thought, as he started walking through it.

When he reached the center, though, he was surprised to see a group of thugs standing around someone and kicking them. He raised an eyebrow seeing that it was a pink haired girl, pale-skinned girl wearing a school uniform. She was taking it without protest, but as he got closer, he could see her struggling to block their attacks. The young brawler narrowed his eyes and glared at the group of thugs.

'_A girl? They're beating on a defenseless girl?' _He growled. '_I know defending girls is Kuwabara's shtick, but __**fuck**__**that**__.'_

Without warning he ran forward and drove his fist into the back of the nearest thug's skull. The man flew forward and into another, who stumbled as the now unconscious man fell down.

The thugs all stopped what they were doing and looked at the downed man in surprise.

"What the hell?" One of them demanded, and they all looked over at Yusuke.

"C'mon guys, if you're gonna beat on someone, at least let it be someone who will fight back," The young brawler said with a frown as he stood back.

"What_?_" The girl asked, looking at him. "What are you doing here?! They'll kill you! Run!"

Yusuke only laughed at her statement, and one of the men scowled and stepped towards him.

"You think you some kinda hero, kid?"

Yusuke snorted and stuck his hands in his pockets.

"Not at all. My hands slipped. See, I'm just prone to violence when someone's getting beaten up by jackasses."

The man growled and started walking towards him.

"So now you're supposed to be cool or something?"

"Hey, I'm just telling the truth," Yusuke said with a shrug.

"Well, me and the boys are gonna fix them hands of yours." The thug said, reaching into a pocket and pulling out a pair of brass knuckles.

"No, run! You don't know what you're getting into!" the girl said from the ground. "Just forget about this!"

Yusuke frowned and looked down at her.

"Hey, I'm not in the habit of running from fights," He said, looking up at the thugs with a grin. "And I know damn well what I've got myself into here. Bring it, ass pirates."

The thugs all smirked at him and started to pick up various things lying around, including steel pipes and iron rods, while one of them held up a chain and started to twirl it about.

"We're gonna enjoy this, punk."

"I thought I said bring it," Yusuke said with a frown. "I'm trying to be a gentleman by letting you take the first swing, but I don't have all day you know."

They all growled and charged at him, and he switched positions, ready to react. When the nearest thug swung a pipe at him, he ducked under it and took hold of the pipe, then brutally punched the man in the nose…

Or so he'd thought. The man took a step back, but hardly looked hurt. Yusuke was surprised by the reaction, but didn't have time to consider it and instead stepped around another attack. He slammed his knee into that attacker's gut and then, with the same leg, kicked out at one that was trying to blindside him, hitting him square in the chest and knocking him off of his feet. He turned around while ducking under the swing of a chain and slammed his fist into the chin of the man wearing brass knuckles, sending him a few inches into the air.

He frowned as he considered the ruffians who were still standing with his fist still out.

'_Did I get slower or something?_' He thought with a frown.

"You think you're really somethin', don't you, punk?" The man with the brass knuckles said as he stood up.

Yusuke smirked and looked over at him.

"You clowns really think I'm try-"

He was interrupted by sudden pain as a chain suddenly slammed into the side of his head. Yusuke fell to one knee from the sudden pain, and his surprise lasted long enough for the same man to hit him again, sending him painfully to the ground. He clenched his teeth and started to move, but the man kicked him hard in the face, like a footballer trying to score a goal, and he was rolled to the side from the force of the kick.

"Ain't got much of a mouth on ya now, eh, punk?" The chain wielding man said as he walked over to the downed teen and kicked him hard in the waist.

Yusuke grunted hard in pain, but said nothing, his mind reeling with confusion and shock.

"Let him go!" The girl cried out.

"You shut up, you stupid little bitch," The brass knuckle user snarled. "We'll finish punishing you when he's done."

Yusuke moved to get up, using one arm to hold his face. He got up to his knees and pulled his hand down and away from his face when he felt blood on it, and more of it dripped out of his nostrils.

'_Shit,_' He thought as he started to stand up. '_What the hell's going on here? How did they get me so bad?'_

One of the men swung a metal pipe into his back, hard.

"_Screw you!" _Yusuke yelled out as he endured the blow and grabbed the pipe, then used it to pull his attacker off balance and punch him in the nose at full strength. The man cried out in pain and Yusuke was rewarded with a satisfying crunch of bone. The teen struggled to stand up, though, looking down at his fist in confusion. '_That… that shoulda taken his head clean off!' _

Another man swung a pipe at his head from behind, knocking him off of his feet.

"You won't be getting up again, kid." The man said as he raised the pipe over his head and swung down, drawing a sickening crunch from the downed teen's body.

-x-_**Ranma**_-x-

Two classes later, Ranma was eying the clock. After the first teacher left, Haruka stopped the note passing, explaining that the other teachers weren't as lax and would notice right away, so she was bored out of her mind. Ranma had managed to steer the conversation towards martial arts, though Haruka seemed to like racing of any sort as well. For some reason, the red-head felt as if Haruka was someone she could get to like, without the whole girlfriend thing coming into question. For one, they were both girls at the moment, and the blonde seemed way, way more level-headed than any of the other girls she knew.

'_I'll have to see her sometime after this is all over,_' Ranma thought as she sat up and eyed the clock.

It was finally time. She held up a hand.

"Um, sensei," She started.

The slightly overweight man turned to face her with a frown on his face.

"Yes… Fujibayashi-kun, was it?" The man said.

"Er, y-yeah. I really need to go to the bathroom." She said, wincing and crossing her legs. The man sighed and waved a hand.

"You should have said something earlier," He said. "Do you know where it is?"

Ranma nodded fervently.

"Well, go on, then."

"Yes, thank you, sensei," She said, getting up and quickly making her way out of the room. She could feel Haruka watching her and glanced back, noticing the other teen had another small smile on her face.

Once she was in the hall, she looked around, and started walking towards the bathroom. Once she was out of view of the classroom windows, she closed her eyes and focused in on her chi. It proved much easier to find the second time around, now that she knew what she was looking for.

That moment, anyone who was watching her would have seen her suddenly seem to disappear.

-x-x-x-

Ranma ran, panting, along the sidewalk outside the campus.

'_Man, this weakness thing really sucks. I've got to start working on it right away. I hope somebody at the dojo has a clue what the heck's goin' on around here.'_

When she was finally two blocks away, she stopped and panted. The girl turned left into a construction yard and sat down in the dirt, sweat already pouring down her body.

"Man, I," She paused to gasp for breath, "-didn't know people could," She paused again, "-_be_ this weak!"

She sat there and caught her breath, and looked around the yard.

'_But now what? How do I get to the fricken dojo from Azabu-frickin-Juuban like this?!' She looked down at her body in disgust, and pinched her stomach, pulling on a layer of fat. 'I'll have to take a train, and that means tons of perverts. Gross.' She gagged. 'The girl only trains are a bit expensive, so it's not… worth… it…_'

She frowned.

'_How am I going to get on a train? I don't have any money on me…_' She frowned and her head sank. '_I can't walk all the way to Nerima. This body would never make it for one, and I could get attacked easily… Hmm, an heiress should have a bunch of spending money, though. Does that mean I have to go back to the mansion? Will they let me leave afterwards?_' She growled in frustration and clenched her fists. "What the hell am I supposed to do!?"

She stood up and kicked a nearby stack of pipes, then yipped and started jumping up and down at the incredible pain in her foot.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" She fell down to her butt and cradled it gingerly. "It's like I'm a little kid again! Damn it! At least the weakness moxibustion hadn't taken away pain resistance!"

She growled and stood back up, then started walking through the construction yard.

"Damn, damn, damn." She sighed. "Parents gone, Dojo disconnected, body weak… Isn't there something I can do? Someone I can call?" She started going over the people she knew in her mind until she noticed a dark spot on the ground out of the corner of her eye. She blinked and quickly looked up, noticing the form of a uniformed school boy, lying face down in the dirt.

He looked slightly familiar.

"Hey, wait…" Her eyes widened as she recognized the boy as the one she'd run into that morning and she quickened her pace until she was by his side. As she knelt down, she noticed that he was severely beaten, bleeding with bruises, welts and shallow cuts covering his face and body. He was unconscious, and the caked blood in the dirt beside him said he'd been like that for a little while now.

"Hey! Wake up, damn it!" She gingerly rolled him over and opened his jacket, then pulled up his shirt. Luckily there were no knife wounds, but it looked like a rib or two was broken, maybe three. She couldn't see any other serious injuries but he was already badly hurt, and just because she couldn't see it didn't mean it wasn't there.

"Shit, he's screwed," she muttered. "Did he get into a fight with yakuza or something?" She muttered. Looking his body over, she could tell that he wasn't very fit. He actually looked kinda puny.

Suddenly, she felt a spark as she noticed someone nearby was watching her, and quickly turned around, looking up at the branches of a tree whose trunk was beyond the wall enclosing the construction project.

"Who's there?! Did you do this?!" she demanded. She waited for a response, but it never came. Scowling, she stood up and pointed at the tree. "I can tell you're there, you bastard!"

"Hn. Not bad for a weak human." A short man whose body was covered up in all black except for a white shawl wrapped around his neck stepped forward on one of the branches, but the other branches hid his face and head. "If you want to save his life, then you should get him some help, don't you think?"

Ranma growled. That unmistakable, oppressive feeling in the air – it was demonic energy. Weak, but youki was youki.

"So, you did it, then?" She asked, growling.

"Hmph. I would not have stopped while he was still able to hold a solid form." The demon snorted. "And even if I had, you're fooling yourself if you think you could fight me."

Ranma scowled.

"Why are you here?" She demanded.

"You don't need to know." The demon snorted. A second later, his body vanished from sight, but Ranma remained on her guard. She looked around several times, then finally turned her attention back to the unconscious school boy.

"He's right," She quickly stood up and ran back out to the sidewalk, and was glad to see that there were a few people walking around. "Hey! Somebody call an ambulance!"

-x-_**Usagi**_-x-

Tsukino Usagi, the girl sometimes known as Sailor Moon and Princess Serenity stretched her arms high over her head and yawned, then leaned back against the tree she was sitting under. In front of her sat an empty bento, not even a speck of grain left. The blonde's stomach made happy gurgling sounds and she patted it in satisfaction, a content smile on her face.

"So what are you guys doing after school today?" Minako asked from her right. The other blonde was still eating her meal, at a much more reasonable pace.

"I was planning to study," Ami said from her left, where she sat, reading a book. "Would you two like to join me?"

"_Pass_." both blondes said in unison.

The bluenette shook her head.

"One of these days…" She muttered.

"Well, I mean we can do _homework_, but we're not going to do any more than we have to," Minako said. "…Besides, we've got Chibi-Usa's going away party tonight."

The other two girls frowned as they considered that.

"Hmmm…" Usagi sighed. "I wish Mamo-chan would take me out for a date after all of this…"

Minako frowned.

"Didn't you go on one yesterday?"

The other blonde blushed.

"But it wasn't enough! I want more! More dates! More!"

"You're already spoiled as it is," Minako snorted, looking away and crossing her arms. "You've got that poor man wrapped around your little finger!"

Usagi giggled.

"I know, isn't it great? He's older, he's got money, he's smart, mature, and he's all mine!"

Minako growled.

"Bah! Don't get full of yourself. If it weren't for him, I bet you'd be single until you were _**thirty**_."

Usagi gasped at the other girl's comment.

"Hey, take it back!"

"Oh yeah?" Minako smirked. "You really think you have what it takes to reel a man in?"

Usagi shrank back at the comment, and the other girl continued.

"What grade are you getting in home economics, hmm?" Minako grinned and leaned in on the odango-headed girl and poked her in the stomach, which was a little flabby. "And what about this, eh? _Eh?_ And you're a little short on the goods up top, too!"

"That's enough, Minako-chan," Ami said, not looking up from her book. "I seem to recall your last batch of chocolate chip cookies were made into industrial grade charcoal."

Minako gagged.

"H-hey, that was just… chocolate chip cookies aren't particularly important, you know," She said.

"And neither is what grade you get in home economics, or having a flat belly, or large breasts…" She paused and cleared her throat. "Usagi-chan is a kind, loving girl and I just _cannot_ see her being alone until she was thirty."

It was Usagi's turn to smirk at the other blonde, who had eased up off of her and was looking sheepish.

"I would say twenty-nine at the latest." Ami said, to which Minako snickered, and Usagi frowned.

"Hey! Ami-chan, whose side are you on?" Usagi demanded, turning to face the other teen.

"Well, Usagi-chan, you've got to admit, unfortunate as it may be, men have traditionally preferred practicality and good looks over-" She was interrupted by a beeping noise, and stopped talking altogether.

"Huh? Why did you start beeping?" Minako asked, peering over Usagi at the blue haired girl.

"…That was the Mercury Computer, not me." Ami said, reaching into her bag and retrieving the device.

"Oh." Minako looked down at the compact computer and raised an eyebrow. "Have you ever considered upgrading to a tablet?"

"Those things are _hardly_ upgrades," Ami said with contempt. "Gimmicks at best. Touch screen keyboards are always either too sensitive or under sensitive, and they _never_ work the way I want them to. I haven't seen any tablets with a satisfactory OS yet, either – they always have such _limited_ functionality that you have to pay _additional fees_ to even use - I suppose I _could_ write my own OS but then the warranty would be voided and the hardware is just _not_ _worth the money_. When they make a pressure sensitive tablet with a fully functional OS, then I _might_ consider it, but until then…" She muttered something that sounded rather unkind about tablets and tablet owners under her breath.

Minako and Usagi blinked at each other.

"Okay, jeez, sorry I asked." Minako muttered.

"Hm? Oh no, it's quite alright. _You didn't know_." The bluenette said. "More importantly, the Mercury Computer seems to have picked up some strange energy signals around the city."

"Is it an enemy?" Minako asked, tilting her head.

"It's not anything we've ever encountered before, no," She said. "Not a youma, or daimon, or anything like that. It's more of a… static field of… raw energy? Though they seem to be slowly disappearing." She frowned. "Though there does seem to be one source of negative energy. It's right here in Juuban…"

Usagi frowned.

"Should we investigate it?" Minako asked.

"What? But lunch is almost over," Usagi said in a half-whine.

"That's not what's important here." Ami said. "I say we should indeed investigate this matter. It's not too far."

-x-x-x-

A twenty year old looking Usagi walked beside Minako and Ami on a populated sidewalk. The blue haired teen was watching both the road ahead of her and the screen of her minicomputer.

"That disguise pen is really nifty," Minako said, looking around. "Not a single person has hassled us for being out of school yet!"

"I know, right?" Usagi said with a grin.

"Don't even think about using it to skip school." Ami said in a stern voice.

"Hey, that's not a bad idea!" Minako said, sharing a look with Usagi.

Ami sighed.

"We're here." She announced, looking up.

"Huh?" The other two girls stopped behind her and looked up as well.

There was an ambulance with a young man in a partial high school uniform being loaded upon a stretcher. The two blondes winced upon seeing the kind of devastating injuries he'd received, and his bloody under clothing. There was a small crowd around the area as the ambulance was loaded up and emergency personnel got into the vehicle with him. Ami approached the nearest bystander and spoke.

"What happened here?" She asked.

The middle-aged woman turned to look at her.

"They say he was badly beaten," the woman said. "With those youma creatures popping around these days, you never know what's going to happen next." She shook her head. "That poor child."

Ami nodded.

"Sorry to bother you," She said.

"Not at all," The woman replied.

Ami turned around and walked over to the other two teen as the ambulance's sirens began to wail and it pulled away.

"Did you hear that?" She asked.

Usagi nodded.

"You think it was some creature?"

Ami tilted her head, her face betraying her confusion in the matter.

"Most of the enemies we've run into now have used magical methods to extract some sort of… item, or energy, from the victim. This was a savage beating," She said. "What could it have to gain from doing that?"

"Maybe it was bored?" Minako asked with a frown. "Monsters aren't exactly nice, you know."

"Hm. Well, he had on a high school uniform. I believe there is one in this area," Ami said, frowning as well. "It may have simply been bullies."

Usagi frowned.

"I'd rather it wasn't something we had to deal with…" She mumbled. "…But we can't just let something that is doing this to people, monster or not, go unpunished."

Ami looked down at her computer.

"Well, the negative energy signature is gone," She said. "There isn't much we can do about it right now anyway. Let's get back to school. We might make it to class without being tardy if we hurry."

As the blue haired girl and Usagi turned to walk back to school, Minako spared one last glance about the area.

"Hmm… It's been a while since I had to deal with bad guys that were human. Always monsters and magic these days…" She said, turning away.

-x-_**Kenichi**_-x-

When lunch time came, Kenichi turned around to speak with Miu again only to find that she had disappeared from her seat. Confused, but accepting, since the masters had likely put her up to it, he simply reached down to grab his lunch…

… and promptly realized that he didn't have one.

"Oh crap…" He sighed and shook his head. "Does this mean I have to go all the way back home..? Maybe I don't need to eat… then again, if I don't, that training will probably kill me…" He sighed heavily. "I'll just have to go home and get something…" He muttered. "I've got an hour, I can make it there and back before class starts again…"

-x-x-x-

After he got outside, he stopped, and looked around for any familiar faces. It was likely that one of the Shinpaku Alliance would be able to explain what was going on to him, but he couldn't see any of them around.

"It's funny, you'd think on a day like this Niijima would be around causing trouble for me…" A bead of sweat formed on his head and rolled down the side of his face and he looked around nervously. "Not that I'm disappointed or anything… hope I didn't jinx myself." With a sigh he put his hands in his pockets and started walking.

"Ken-kun!"

Kenichi blinked. That voice…

"_**Ken-kun!**_"

He turned around and looked for the source of the voice. A girl was running towards him through the lunch crowd, but he didn't quite recognize her. Her voice was definitely familiar, though, and when she finally got close enough, he was shocked by what… or rather, _who_ he saw. Unsure of his eyes, he rubbed them and blinked, only to find that she was still a little blurry, but that didn't change the fact that Kisara Nanjou – tomboy ex-delinquent and expert Tae Kwon Do user - was running towards him, dressed in a proper school uniform and wearing some thick bottle-cap glasses. She carried a lunch box wrapped up in a plain white cloth with blue stripes going along the length.

He pinched his arm several times and winced at the pain.

"Ken-kun! Hiya!" The girl said with a big smile on her face when she got near. Kenichi watched her in eerie silence as she stopped right next to him and put her arm around him in a friendly manner. She panted roughly and he blinked in confusion several times while she caught her breath. He could see clearly the sweat that was on her face, as if that little run had exerted her.

"Kisara-san, are you okay?" He asked. Had she been training too, or something? There was no reason for her to be so tired… and the glasses… and the uniform… and the overwhelming sense of _utter_ _wrongness_…

"Fine, fine! But, Ken-kun! How's it goin?" She asked.

Kenichi raised an eyebrow.

"Ken-kun?" He blinked. "Er… okay, I guess…" He nervously shrank away from the girl who could have once pummeled him into the ground on a whim. It was true that she tended to be very cozy and cheerful, but he'd never seen her act so…

…_Friendly_? Towards him, anyway. She was more like this with Miu…

"Eh? Well, that's cool. Where ya headed?" She asked.

"Er, well, I was going to run home real fast and get my lunch… It seems I forgot it…"

"Eh?" She frowned. "What, were you planning on skipping the rest of the school day or something?" She asked, frowning.

He blinked at that.

"Er, no, I just wanted to rush there and back," He said.

"Huh!?" The red head was clearly taken aback by his statement. "But you'll still be late for class, you might even miss one!" She said with a frown.

"Huh?" He blinked; Kisara, worried about him missing class? "Uh, I'll be fine, really." He said.

"No way! That's ridiculous." She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "Besides, you promised to eat lunch with me today!"

Kenichi frowned as confusion set in.

"I did?" He asked, pointing at himself, and she frowned.

"Yes, you did! Did you forget already?!"

Kenichi shrank back and held his arms up to cover his face.

"U-uh, no! I didn't! Heh heh!" He waved his hands up defensively. "But, uh… well, I don't have a lunch…" He looked up at her through his hands and noticed that she was staring intently at him. After a moment, she blushed and looked away.

"W-well… if that's the case, then I'll share mine with you." She said.

He blinked.

"H-huh? R, really?"

"Yeah! Now come on, hurry up! I know the perfect spot!" She turned and quickly started running, pulling him by the hand.

"Uwah!" He gasped in surprised. For a moment, he was terribly off balance and it seemed like he would trip and fall, but he managed to get it back and follow after her.

After a moment, she led him to a tree that granted some good shade and they both sat down.

"So, Ken-kun," She started, "I heard you came on time today! How did you do that?" She asked as she started to open her bento, taking care to unwrap the cloth tied around it. "It's always so hard for me to get up in the morning!"

"Uh, well, I ran," He said with an honest chuckle, rubbing the back of his head.

She blinked at that and stopped in her motions.

"W-what? You ran? All the way here?"

He smiled and nodded.

"B-but, you normally sleep in about an hour… how come you woke up so early?" She asked as she set the lunch container on top of the soft cloth and stared at him.

"W-what?" He frowned, taken aback by that revelation. "Err…" Kenichi blinked. "I normally sleep in an hour?"

"Yeah. By the way, did you ever end up finding that Sword-of-something-or-other? I had to pull out cause I was tired, but I was hoping you guys might have found it," She said, tilting her head.

"S-sword of what?" He asked.

"Huh? Did you forget?"

"Er…"

She rolled her eyes and opened the bento before she started talking again.

"Silly, that's what we were searching for last night. You know, in the Rune Dungeons?"

"Rune… Dungeons?" He muttered.

"Yeah, you know, _Tales of Final Star Online Two: The Silver Revenant Feathers of Celestia_? The MMORPG that we play _every night_?" She gave him a look that said what she was talking about should have been obvious, but for the life of him, he could not understand what she was talking about. "Well, you seem to have forgotten it anyway. You did seem kinda preoccupied last night." She held up a pair of chopsticks and pulled them apart. "Okay then! Say ahh!" She said as she dug into some rice.

Kenichi eyed the pickled plum in the center, and the rest of the lunch, then looked up at her.

'_Hey, that's a lot of food… It's almost like it was made for more than one person…'_

She held the chopsticks up and looked at him pointedly, and he blinked.

"Uh, w-what?"

"Well," She blushed, "I only have one pair of chopsticks… so we're going to have to take turns eating, okay! Say 'ah', all right?!"

"A, ah!" He shrank back from her for a moment and shook his head. "Wait, I'll be fine with your scraps, you don't have to go this far!"

"What? No, we're taking turns, I don't want to take more than you." She said calmly.

After a moment, he sighed, and gave her an exasperated look.

"Okay, Kisara-san. Did Niijima put you up to this?"

Kisara froze solid, before quickly looking around. Seeing no one around, she leaned in close and he started to sweat nervously.

"N, Niijima? What does that violent thug have to do with anything?" She asked in a whisper, frowning at him.

Kenichi frowned.

"Violent thug? What are you talking about?"

"What?" The other teen looked surprised at his question. "What do you mean, _what am I talking about?_ He's a monster!"

Kenichi frowned and pulled away from her.

"Uh, are we talking about the same alien here?"

Kisara's eyes widened and she quickly leaned in and covered his mouth, before looking around again.

"Mmpf! Mmrg!" Kenichi struggled for a second, but she held fast.

"What are you, crazy?" She demanded, leaning in closer until they were almost face to face. "You know he hates being called that! Are you trying to get yourself killed, Ken-kun?"

Kenichi frowned and grabbed her hand and pulled it away easily.

"Oh yeah, that's really funny," He said. "Niijima put you up to this, didn't he? This is just the kinda thing that guy would do…" He said, shaking his head. "Crafty little bug… But I've gotta wonder how he managed to get the whole class to…" He frowned and tilted his head. "But then the teacher…"

Kisara just stared at him, a blank look on her face.

"Uh, Ken-kun? Are you okay?"

"Huh?" Kenichi frowned. "Uh… Kisara-san… since when do you call me, 'Ken-kun'?"

"Hmm? Since middle school, you dork!" She said with a grin, before slapping him on the back.

"M-middle school?" Kenichi's eyes widened. _'B, but we didn't… I didn't meet you until high-school!' _He thought._ 'Did Niijima really think this out that far? That jerk, what's he trying to do?'_ He huffed and sighed.

"Sheesh… you're being weird today. But anyway, aren't you hungry?" The red head asked, taking a bite of her lunch. "Open your mouth already!"

"W-wahh!" Kenichi cringed. '_B-but… sharing a meal like that is something I could only do with one person! How am I supposed to get out of this?_'

"Then say ahhh!" She said with a smile as she grabbed some more rice.

"Er…" The young martial artist felt heat in his face as he blushed in some embarrassment. _'This is probably all part of the game, isn't it, Niijima? You trying to get blackmail material on me?'_ He thought, before closing his eyes and opening his mouth. "A, ahh…"

"Yay!" He could feel the chopsticks in his mouth and took that as his cue to bite down on it. He blinked as she pulled the chopsticks away.

It was pretty good. The pickled plum was just right, there wasn't too much or too little flavor.

"T, this is pretty good," He said after he swallowed it and opened his eyes.

"R, really? Thank you!" Kisara blushed and smiled at him.

'_Oh boy…'_ He looked down at the ground. _'What will Miu think? This, this isn't cheating… is it?'_

-x-x-x-

"Um… thank you for the meal." He said awkwardly when there was no more food left.

Kisara giggled as she wrapped the bento in the cloth again.

"Just don't forget yours next time, okay?"

Kenichi smiled nervously and nodded.

'_Something is… wrong here.'_ He thought to himself as he watched her tend to the bento. She looked perfectly content to be doing so, not like she was being forced at all. It was just so… _un-Kisara_ like. '_Was she that good an actor?'_

He narrowed his eyes.

"Say, Kisara-san… you, you like cats, right?"

"Hm?" She blinked and looked down at him. "Not particularly. Actually, I'm allergic." She said, tilting her head and frowning slightly.

"Er…" Kenichi made a face. "I see, heh heh…" He said, rubbing his neck. The school bell rang and he blinked. "Wow, has it already been an hour..?"

"Ah! Seems so!" Kisara smiled and slapped him on the back again. "Well, it's been fun! I'll see you around, Ken-kun!" she said, before taking off towards the main school building.

Kenichi held up a hand after her and frowned then let it fall back down to his hand. Kisara was not so good an actor as to lie like that. No matter how much Niijima was paying or blackmailing her with.

"Allergic?" He muttered. "That… that can't be… right… "

-x-_**Ranma**_-x-

Ranma sighed as she walked back into the classroom. She'd left the scene before the ambulance could arrive to avoid being questioned, and scolded for being out of school in the first place. A nearby police man would have probably checked the scene out, and from there she'd have been lead back to school and her plan would have been found out by the counselor and her kidnappers.

Haruka Tenou was sitting with the aquamarine-trussed teen at Ranma's desk, and the two looked up at her.

"Oh, hey, Ranma. What happened with the bathroom?" Haruka asked, looking at Ranma, who walked over to her desk.

"Eh?" Ranma glanced at the blonde. "Err, well, uh…"

The blonde chuckled.

"You trying to play hooky on your first day?" She asked.

"That doesn't sound like someone from Blue Rose Academy to me." The aqua haired teen said with a smile.

"Eh? Ah, you're… Michiko, right?" Ranma asked, looking at her.

The woman giggled.

"Michiru. Michiru Kaiou," She said, standing up. "Forgive me, I was rather blunt, wasn't I? And stealing your chair no less."

"Er, it's okay," Ranma said, waving a hand and kneeling down to her bag, which remained right as she'd left it. "I'm actually about to go back out."

"But lunch is almost over," Haruka said. "You're not _really_ trying to play hooky, now are you?"

"Well…" Ranma looked up at them, at a loss for what to say. "I have somewhere I really have to go."

"Why can't you just go after school?" The blonde asked, raising a brow. Michiru looked on interestedly as well. "You can even have your chauffeur take you." She said the last part with a grin.

Ranma frowned. There was no need to explain exactly what was going on yet, especially since it was bound to be so unbelievable to a couple of… _normal_ people.

"It's some place he won't want to take me. At least, I don't want him to know about it." She said with a shrug. "…They think I'm going nuts at my house."

Haruka blinked.

"So you _do_ have a chauffeur?" The blonde asked, grinning at the shorter teen.

"Err… I guess," The teen shrugged. _'I can't afford to get too distracted here, I've got to get to the dojo.'_ She rummaged through her bag, but saw only notebooks and school supplies. Nothing resembling a purse or wallet. _'Damn. Now how am I supposed to get to the damn dojo?'_ She sighed and stood up, then dropped down into her chair.

"What's up, red?"

Ranma took a second to realize that Haruka was talking to her.

"Er, I don't have my wallet," The red-head sighed. "I kind of need to ride a train to get where I'm going."

Haruka and Michiru glanced at each other, and shared a smile before looking down at her.

"Where _do_ you want to go?" Haruka asked, raising an eye brow.

"A dojo in Nerima," Ranma said with a shrug.

"Nerima?" The blonde asked.

"Why go that far for a dojo?" The aqua haired teen asked. "There are a few around here, aren't there?"

"Er, well, I know that one pretty well." She said with a shrug.

"Nerima is two districts over from Minato, isn't it?" Michiru asked. "Is this place that good?"

"It's only thirty or so kilometers," Haruka said, waving a hand. "Not a long train ride."

"Mm, well, still, I can't _walk_ that far," The red-head said.

"Hmm…" Haruka smiled, and Michiru glanced at her.

"Dear, you're not thinking of…"

"Well, why not?" The blonde asked with a grin. "If it's so good that she'd be willing to jump on some pervert infested train instead of ride with her chauffeur? Sounds interesting."

"Well…" The green haired teen sighed and said, "I suppose it wouldn't hurt."

"Perverts tend to lose fingers around me." Ranma said with a snort. Haruka's grin widened.

"Heh. Well, why don't you just ride with us after school? I'd like to check this place out," The blonde said.

"R-Really?" Ranma's eyes widened. "But, you don't have to go out of your way for me like that… I mean, after all, we only just… huh? You have a car?"

"Sure, on both counts. And don't worry about it," Haruka said with a wink.

"Haruka just can't leave a beautiful damsel in distress alone." Michiru said with a smile. "And we weren't planning to do much today anyway. We seem to have a lot of free time these days."

Ranma blinked, then chuckled nervously.

"Er, right… damsel…" She looked away from the two and felt a bead of sweat drop down the back of her neck. _'Oh boy… I can see this going wrong in a few ways…'_ The martial artist turned back to them and smiled and nodded. "Er yeah, that'd be great!"

"Right. Make sure to let your people know that you're going to ride home with friends then." Haruka said with a chuckle.

"Err… right…" Ranma looked down at her cell phone and picked it up, then started looking through it. Unsurprisingly, she didn't recognize any of the names there, and Mitsukoshi wasn't one of them. The closest thing was _Mikkon_, which she assumed was a friend of the phone's actual owner… if there was such a person.

Ranma blinked, noting that the first three kana for Mikkon were the same as Mitsukoshi.

'_Hmm… maybe…'_ The bell rang and Ranma then frowned. '_I'll just wait and see what happens.'_

-x-x-x-

Several hours later, Ranma walked over towards the front of the school, where Mitsukoshi and the limousine waited for her. She walked over to him and held up a hand as he opened the door.

"Um…" She blinked trying to figure out how to regard the man_. 'I've got to convince him that I'm going along with their little plan…'_ She thought, steeling herself. _'Here goes!'_

Her face lit up with a megawatt smile, and she opened her mouth, cranking her pitch up three octaves for good measure.

"_Mikkon!_ I made some friends today!"

The man blinked at her, then smiled back.

"Oh, so you're back to normal are you? I told you you'd have fun here!" He said.

Ranma hid a smirk.

"Yep! My friends just invited me to go out and do karaoke with them!" She giggled and gave him a double-fisted smile. "I can't believe it! I'm so embarrassed!" She leaned in and whispered in a conspiratory voice. "I've never done karaoke with common people before! Can I go, can I go? Please?"

"You still have a lot to learn, don't you?" He said with a smile. "Okay then. Why don't I give you all a ride? We can all go!"

"Mm…_Mikkon!_" She stuck out her tongue and lightly pounded a dainty fist into his chest. "It's supposed to be a girls' get together! You can't come!"

"Girls?" He asked, tilting his head. "I see. Then I'll just wait in the…"

"I'll ride with them, okay? Don't worry! If I need you, I'll just call you!" She turned and started running towards the building again, against all of the bodies pouring out.

"Huh? Well…" He blinked and frowned, then held up a hand. "Er…"

"Okay! See you later, _Mikkon!_" She said, looking back and waving at him.

When she got inside the building, Haruka and Michiru were standing there and watching her. Like others who preferred to leave uniforms at school, the two had changed their clothes; the blonde was dressed in a jacket and jeans that had a sort of masculine feel to them. If it wasn't for the jacket being open, revealing a thin yellow shirt underneath, she was sure the tall blonde could have passed for male. Michiru stood next to her, wearing a silvery-blue sundress that instead seemed to highlight her femininity.

"I didn't know you had that in you." Haruka said, giving the young red head an honestly impressed look. Beside her, her aquamarine haired companion stood, holding a hand over her mouth to hide a giggle.

"I have to be able to deal with these things at a moment's notice," The young martial artist said, waving a hand. "You know, keeping up appearances, changing from one person to another in a split second…"

"Oh? I see." the aquamarine haired teen said with a smile.

Ranma slung her bag over her shoulder and followed Haruka and Michiru to the school parking lot.

"Say, doesn't that sound familiar?" Haruka asked with a chuckle, looking at Michiru.

Ranma reached over and grabbed her phone as the two talked, and looked it over. It was one of the most expensive looking ones she'd seen.

'_Man, how many features does this thing have?' _She thought as she scrolled through menus and the like. She looked around the shell for the brand name and noticed the word "Fuji" written in romaji. _'Fuji? Hm, why does that sound familiar? Don't they make cameras or something?_' She thought for a moment.

"So, Fujibayashi-san," Michiru started, glancing back at her. "Why don't you tell us about yourself?"

Ranma looked up from her phone and realized that the three of them had stopped walking. She processed the question she'd been asked about a second later as Haruka was opening the door to a rather shiny and comfortable looking sports car with a convertible top.

"Eh? Er, please, call me Ranma," She said. "Wait, this is your car?"

"Hmm? Yup," Haruka said as Michiru opened the door to the passenger side and got in. "C'mon, climb in." As she said that, the top began to fold back, and Ranma stared at it in awe.

"Wow, you guys must be loaded!"

She was surprised when the two in the car looked at each other and started laughing.

"Eh? What, did I say something funny?"

"_Loaded_?" Haruka asked, wiping a tear from her eye. "You're the Fuji Corporation's ex-C.E.O.'s daughter, aren't you?"

"Huh? Er…" Ranma took a moment to remember what had been said about her that morning, and nodded before finally climbing into the back of the car. "Yeah, I guess."

"You could buy a handful of these with your weekly allowance, couldn't you?" The blonde asked, smirking at her.

Ranma blinked.

"Really?" She glanced down at her phone. _'Fuji…? Maybe I should… look into this…'_ She shrugged. "I er… never really had an interest in buying… _cars_… before… Not quite old enough. I figured they were super expensive too." She shrugged.

"Oh dear. Just how expensive did you think they were?" Michiru asked, turning to look at her with a slight smile as Haruka started the car's engine.

"I just figured cars like this were way up there with private jets and stuff." Ranma said with a shrug.

"But doesn't your family have a few of those?" Haruka asked, looking into her mirror as she backed out of the parking space. "Most high up company officials in a business that large tend to, I think."

"Oh… uh… err…" Ranma's mouth opened and closed several times. "Ahahah! Let's change the subject! It'll just sound like I'm bragging if I talk about me, you know?"

Michiru tittered, covering her mouth with a hand, while Haruka chuckled again.

"You don't have to worry about that with us. We're not exactly struggling ourselves," The blonde said as she pulled out into the street and joined the flow of traffic. "But if you insist, that's okay. What about your _interests_? What do you do to pass time, besides martial arts?"

"Hmm? Well, when I'm not practicing martial arts… I like to watch variety shows. Occasionally if I'm bored I'll pick up a manga that's lying around, and I do play videogames when there's fighting in it. But usually I'm training or fighting."

"Oh?" Michiru asked. "Didn't you usually do anything with your friends from your last school?"

"Hm?" Ranma blinked, then shrugged. "Well… yeah, I mean, I guess. But it's like…" She looked up out the window at the cars that they were passing by. "Most of the time, people would only try to get to be friends with me so they could… get something _from_ me. I had a lot of suitors too," She said with a sigh. "The attention was interesting, but after a year it just kinda got _tedious, _y'know?"

"Oh?" Haruka asked. "So Blue Rose is that kind of place, eh?" The last part had been muttered just loud enough to be audible. Ranma blinked and glanced up at the front, and noticed Haruka's slight frown through the rear-view mirror. "Well, don't worry about that anymore. We won't let anyone harass you at Juuban."

"Yes, that's right." Michiru added. "No one should have to go through that sort of thing."

"Eh? Er…" Ranma blinked. "Well, I kinda got used to it," She said with a shrug. "I don't mind the chaos and all, but it would be cool if people weren't out to either _actually _kill me or marry me, you know? I had a few jealous rivals too, some of them were just plain hilarious."

The two ladies in the front shared a look.

"I'm sorry, but it sounds interesting." Michiru said amiably.

"Yeah, well," Ranma sighed. "Most of them get old fast. So uh, what about you two?"

"I like to race," Haruka said.

"Yeah, I know," Ranma said with a nod.

"Just checking," Haruka responded as she put her hand on the gear shift and turned onto a particularly empty street.

Ranma noticed these two things and her face went blank.

"Uh… don't tell me-"

"Don't worry, we'll be in Nerima before the hour's over," Haruka said with a grin.

Ranma glanced down at her phone.

It was 15:33.

"Oh dear, you always get like this." Michiru said as the blonde suddenly slammed down on the gas.

Ranma slammed into the back of her seat.

"If you haven't already, you _might_ want to put your seatbelt on," Haruka warned as the car shifted gears.

-x-_**Kenichi**_-x

The second half of the school day, Kenichi had managed to steal a few glances at Miu. She hadn't changed from the morning at all, and was still just staring outside, yet somehow was able to answer whatever questions the teachers asked. When it was almost time to go, he stole one final glance, only to see that she was staring at him intently. He was taken aback by the concentrated look on her face, and smiled, then turned back to face the teacher. When the day was over, he turned to look at her, only to find that she had vanished once again.

Later, when Kenichi walked into the gardening club's greenhouse, he was surprised to see three students he did not know already tending to the plants. They all immediately looked over at him in various states of surprise and he blinked, then smiled.

"Oh, um… hello. Are you all looking to join the club?" He asked with a smile. _'Izumi's going to be so happy!'_

One of two girls looked at him and frowned.

"What are you talking about?" A girl asked.

"Err," Kenichi tilted his head. "Well, I mean, you're all already here, so I assumed you were interested in joining the gardening club…"

They shared a look and then burst out laughing.

"That's a good one, buddy," The only guy in the club said. Kenichi turned to look at him and blinked; now that he looked at him, he looked awfully familiar. "Are you here to join the gardening club?"

Kenichi blinked.

"Huh?" He pointed at himself and chuckled. "I'm already a member. One of the only three!"

They other teens all looked amongst themselves again and one of them sighed.

"That's pretty far to take a joke, don't you think?" she said. "Listen, we don't care if you're gonna join or not, just make up your mind, would you?"

Kenichi frowned.

'_They don't seem like they're joking…'_ He thought. _'Weird… but then again, all of today has been weird. I get the feeling this isn't something I'll be able to figure out on my own...'_ He looked up at them and held up a hand. "Er, sorry, but I just remembered that I had somewhere to be. Excuse me for interrupting…" He turned around and walked back out of the greenhouse. _'Maybe… Koetsuji-sensei will know what's going on… if he's not in on it himself…'_

-x-x-x-

Twenty minutes later found Kenichi aimlessly walking down the familiar streets of what had become his home. For some reason, it felt like he'd been carrying a tremendous weight, and he was tired.

"Hmm… Miu-san and Kisara-san… both have been acting strange today." He muttered. "But… the more that I think about it, the more something feels off. I can't quite get it…" He stopped before an empty lot and sighed. He sat down on the dirty ground and dropped his books beside him, then sighed in relief. "Wow, these books are way heavier than I thought. I can't believe all the kids carry that much weight," He muttered as he looked up at the lot and tilted his head. It was full of weeds and dead grass, and trash littered the place here and there.

There was a strange chill in the air, and he could feel the hairs rising on his neck. Something was… _wrong _about this place.

"Huh… I haven't seen this place before…" He muttered. He looked around to get a feel for where he was and found himself becoming increasingly confused.

"Hey, wait a minute… this… this isn't right…" He muttered. He pointed at a building that he recognized, and then turned around, looking about. "That, that place is right across the street from the dojo! Isn't it?" He muttered. "Maybe I crossed into a similar neighborhood…" He muttered. Looking around again, he frowned in plain confusion and shook his head.

"This can't be right. A neighborhood that looks that similar to the one I've lived in for the past year? Are they getting that generic?" He muttered. He sighed and slid back on the ground, hitting a piece of wood with his hand. Surprised, he turned around and looked down at the piece of wood.

And his eyes widened in shock for the nth time that day.

"R, Ryozan…"

The last kanji was missing, as the sign was broken, but… it was definitely the sign that hung above the entrance to the dojo. His head whipped up and he looked around the empty lot in confusion. As he did so, some of the landscape began to look familiar to him. He closed his eyes and focused on a mental image of the dojo from where he'd have been sitting, and then opened them, and found that the two almost matched perfectly, with one rather large exception.

"Where… where'd the dojo go!?"

-x-_**Ranma**_-x-

A short time later, the three cruised down a freeway off ramp at a more relaxed pace.

"What did I tell you? Within the hour," Haruka said, as they pulled off towards a traffic light.

"Ah-heh-heh… y-yeah…" Ranma straightened her shirt out and started to tie her hair back into a pigtail without bothering to check and see if the blonde was right. She'd let her hair out earlier and had to remind herself several times not to sit up on the back of the car as they sped down the freeway because she wasn't sure if she could maintain balance with her weakened body. '_Man, that was awesome! First thing I do when I get back is learn how to drive a car!_'

"So," Haruka started. "Which way from here, do you know?"

"Huh? Oh yeah," Ranma quickly looked around and for the first time felt at home as she recognized the area. "Hang a left and go straight, for uh, thirteen signals…"

"Hmm… Okay," The blonde said as she switched lanes and made the turn.

"So, uh, anyway… Michiru, you don't mind if I call you that, do you?" Ranma asked.

"I don't mind," The aqua-marine haired teen said.

"You said you were into playing the violin and swimming, eh?" Ranma asked, looking at Michiru. "Eh heh… That's cool… I can't say I know much about classical music, though…"

"Oh, I can play more than classical music," Michiru said. "I've played support for a few pop and rock bands as well, and I know several other instruments," She said with a smile.

"Huh. You'll have to let me hear it some time," Ranma said. "Say, can you play the drums?" She asked. "How about an electric guitar?"

Michiru smiled and glanced at the redhead out the corner of her eye.

"Well, once you know a bit of music theory, it's easier to pick up other instruments. I haven't really tried either of those, but I think I could if I did." She said.

"We're coming up on that thirteenth light," Haruka said.

Ranma blinked, but refrained from making a comment on how fast it'd been.

"Make a right just before the gas station," Ranma said, continuing when the blonde did so. "There should be a department store down here… Turn left and stay on that road until we hit the residential district. It'll be easy from there."

-x-

Not ten minutes later, after going down that road, which curved and winded away from the freeway, they had crossed into the residential district. Ranma sighed in relief as familiar houses passed them by – or, rather, as they passed the houses by.

"Okay, just turn left into this street…" Ranma said.

"Say, this dojo," Haruka started. "It's not in the industrial area?"

"No, the family lives there. It's their ancestral property," Ranma explained. 'Well, finally. Man, I never thought I'd be so glad to see Nerima again,' She thought with a relieved sigh as they passed ever more familiar houses. 'Look, there's Tofu's clinic… eh? Sakai?' She blinked. 'It changed ownership? Maybe that's why I haven't seen him around… Huh, the least he could have done was said goodbye, you'd think.' She shrugged.

"So Ranma, you seem to know this area pretty well," Haruka said. "Come here often?"

"Eh? Yeah, I guess you could say that," Ranma said. 'I've been living here for a year, so I've been coming here more often than anywhere else…' She suddenly noticed what street they were on and spoke up. "Turn right at the drainage ditch…"

The redhead frowned as the houses started losing their familiarity.

'Hey, shouldn't that one be white? Why is it yellow?' She looked around and started noticing more discrepancies. 'Did we make a wrong turn?' She scratched her head. "Um… Turn right here…" She said. Haruka followed her instructions and soon they were coasting down the street the Tendo residence resided on.

And coasting… and coasting…

"Say, we almost there yet?" Haruka asked.

Ranma frowned as they passed a familiar house.

'_Hey, that's the Yamane's place, isn't it?'_ Her eyes widened and she quickly turned around, whipping her head about. "W-what? Wait a second, where's the dojo?"

Haruka slowed to a stop.

"Huh?"

"The dojo! It should be… right here somewhere!" She said, pointing at a relatively new looking house. "What's _that_ doing there?"

Haruka and Michiru looked at each other.

"Did you make a mistake?" The blonde asked, turning to look at the red-head.

"I… I'm not sure," Ranma said. "Maybe we missed our turnoff… these neighborhoods tend to be pretty generic, after all," Ranma said with a sigh. "Sorry about that."

"It's fine, we've got time to kill and gas to burn," The blonde said, driving down to the end of the street.

They coasted through the neighborhood some more before finally coming back to the street where the dojo… was _supposed_ to be.

"Hey red, sorry to say, but still no dojo." Haruka said.

"That's... _odd_…" Ranma muttered. _'The dojo's not here? We must have really made a wrong turn somewhere… I'll just have to see if someone can turn us in the right direction.'_ She looked up at the driver. "Hey, would you mind waiting for a bit? I'm gonna ask for directions."

"Sure thing," Haruka said, pulling off to the left of the street.

Ranma hopped out of the car and started running up towards what looked like the Yamane's place. The family's dog, Bess if she remembered correctly, immediately started barking at her from behind a fence. Ranma frowned at the dog's reaction; the mutt was definitely familiar with her by now, so that meant something was wrong.

"Oh well," Ranma thought, knocking on the door. Several moments later, a familiar middle-aged woman opened the door and Ranma looked up at her. It was Ms. Yamane… only, the woman looked as if she had lost some weight, and her face was a little more haggard than usual. 'Is this a relative?' Ranma wondered as the woman stared back at her.

"Can I help you young lady?"

The familiar voice snapped Ranma out of her mild surprise.

"Eh? So it is you, Ms. Yamane?" She asked.

"Hm?" The woman blinked. "Er, have we met before?"

"It's me, Ranma, from the Tendo Dojo?" Ranma said, sighing in relief. "Sorry, it looks like something weird is happening again…"

"Tendo Dojo…?" The woman muttered.

"Yeah… I got lost," Ranma said sheepishly. "Could you point me to the dojo?"

The woman shook her head.

"I'm sorry young lady, but there's no dojo in this area."

Ranma blinked.

"Come again?"

"There's no dojo in this area," The woman repeated. "Where did you hear that there was?"

Ranma blinked.

"What? Wait a second, what do you mean, there's no dojo in this area?"

"Just that. Isn't now, and there hasn't been for as long as I've lived here." The woman said, starting to frown. "Where did you hear that kind of rumor? That's not a Fuurinkan uniform, so I know you're not local. Where are you from?"

"Uh…" Ranma just stared at the woman as her brain tried to work through what'd been said.

The woman sighed.

"Well, anyway, I'm sorry, but I have to get back to work. If you'll excuse me…" She said, before slowly closing the door.

Ranma stood there for a moment, then turned around and looked at the lot where the dojo was supposed to be.

"It's supposed to be right _there!_" She muttered. _'What's going on here?!_' She frowned and started walking towards the place. She crossed the street and walked up towards the front yard. As she got closer, she felt a shiver go down her spine, and stopped. She looked up at the house and frowned. '_The dojo is supposed to be right here damn it! And what is old lady Yamane saying, there's been no dojo here forever?_' Another shiver went down her spine and the teen started towards the house again.

Then she felt it. A familiar… ambience. Despite the fact that she was staring at a house that she'd never seen before, it felt like she was looking right at the dojo, as if she were about to walk in through the front gate and everything would return to normal.

Ranma took a step forward and the world around her churned about. She stared in surprise, yet with a feeling of expectation, as the visage of the strange house was slowly replaced with that of the all too familiar Tendo Dojo. When it was solid, she looked around and saw that the blue sky only extended several meters above the dojo from his vantage point. Beyond that was a black, cloudless, empty nothingness. Her body was suddenly awash with energy and the muscle weakness that she'd felt for the whole day was gone.

She wordlessly ran forward, pushing the door open as quickly as she could. Inside, the house was just as she remembered.

"Hey!" She called out. "Is anybody here?!"

There was no response, and she ran into the house and began to methodically check each and every room, but she could feel from the very beginning that there was no one there. When she got to Akane's room, she looked out the window and was surprised at what she saw.

"Ranma!"

She frowned as she heard Michiru's voice calling to her from outside.

"Where are you?"

The redhead hopped up to the window sill and then hopped to a nearby tree branch before leaping up to the roof. She stared up at the sky and her eyes widened with surprise as she noticed that it was slowly disintegrating.

"What the hell is going _on_ here?!"

"Ranma! Is that you?"

She turned towards the voice and ran along the roof of the house until she spotted Michiru and Haruka standing over the koi pond.

"Huh?" She frowned. "You guys are seeing this too, right?!" The red-head called out to them, and they looked over at her.

"What? What are you doing up there?" Haruka cried out.

"It's dangerous! Look!"

Ranma turned around in time to see that the disintegration was slowly accelerating and now only half a meter away from her face.

"Shit!" She turned and dove down towards them. She landed right in front of them and rolled forward before jumping up to her feet and turning to look up at the sky.

"What's going on here?" Haruka demanded, looking at the red head. "How did you…"

"I have no idea!" Ranma shouted. "The dojo… I knew that the dojo was supposed to be here, and I felt something pulling me. So I walked over to that weird house. But then everything got all weird and the dojo appeared, and now this! What the _hell is this!?_" As she spoke, her body began to visibly glow. "And get this; Miss Yamane says that there's no dojo here, and there never was!"

The other two teens noticed Ranma's glowing and shared a disturbed look.

"Ranma, calm down," Haruka started.

"It'll be easier to figure out what's going on if you do." said her partner.

Ranma realized that the two of them were right and then closed her eyes. After a single deep breath, she opened them again. Her aura was gone.

"Sorry, you two. But this is really weird. I just… I have a really bad feeling about this." She said.

"Believe me, you're not the only one." Haruka said, looking up. Despite the fact that they could not see anything beyond the blackness, it was as if she were looking directly into the sun, so she quickly raised a hand to block the light.

"Okay, so… have any of you seen anything like this before?" Ranma asked, looking from girl to girl. "Because I know _I_ haven't."

"…Well…" Haruka looked down at Michiru.

"I think we're in the same boat as you, Ranma," Michiru said. "From what I can see though, this space seems to be destabilizing. I'm not sure why it's here, or how we got here, but I don't think we want to be here when it's all gone." She said.

"This space?" Ranma asked. "I don't get it. What do you mean, 'this space'? What kind of _space_ are we _in_?"

"If I knew, I would tell you," Michiru said, looking around. "But like I said, I've never seen this before."

"Okay then," Haruka said. "If we're going to leave, then let's figure out how," she said. "That black stuff isn't slowing down you know," She pointed out. Already it had started eating away at the dojo, and it was still shrinking in from all sides. Worse yet, it appeared to be getting faster by the second.

"We'll just have to get out the way we got in!" Ranma said, running forward.

"Hey, what are you doing?!" Haruka demanded, as she and Michiru took off after her.

"We don't really have a choice but to try," The other teen said. The two of them caught up with Ranma just as they hit the blackness.

The two girls passed through and into the darkness, but Ranma hit an invisible wall and screamed out in pain as her body was wracked with some kind of black energy. She was blasted backwards and into the koi pond with a splash. The red head sat up out of the water, dazed, in time to see the blackness coming in from all sides. Her entire body was hit at once and she screamed out in immense pain as everything went blank.

-x-x-x-

"Ugh…"

Ranma opened her eyes and sat up, rubbing her head. When she'd hit the blackness, a pain seemed to take hold of her that seemed to last for both an eternity and an instant. Looking around, she could see the unfamiliar house was still where the dojo was _supposed_ to be, and Haruka and Michiru were looking down at her in concern. She quickly closed her eyes and tried to find her center.

Not surprised to see that the familiar ethereal bonfire was gone, she searched for a few moments and considered giving up when she finally stumbled upon a glowing font of energy about the size of a compact car. It was significantly smaller than it should have been, but much more than the tiny little ball from before.

It was also visibly shrinking.

'_Shit!' _

She mentally grasped the energy and focused on holding it there. The shrinkage seemed to slow down, but continued despite her efforts.

'_How do I stop this?' _She thought with a frown. She didn't _understand_ what was going on, so the most she could do was take a stab in the dark on this one. It would have been nice to have the old crone around to give her some kind of hint, but she had no such luck. '_Okay, calm down. I need to figure out what's going on here first off.' _

She focused on the chi before her and the manner in which it was shrinking.

'_Hmm…' _It wasn't as if it was bleeding some kind of excess off… rather, it was just _evaporating…_ somehow slowly ceasing to _exist_. As she watched it, an idea struck her. '_Let's try this…' _

The teen focused again, though this time not on the chi, but on her body. She ignored the state of things as they were, instead focusing on how it was supposed to be… how they _really were_.

She opened her eyes and quickly looked around again.

"Hey! Are you alright?!"

She jolted from the sudden shout and quickly turned to look over at Haruka, who was kneeling by her side.

"Ranma?" Seeing her move, the blonde seemed to calm down a little. "You're okay?"

Ranma nodded.

"Yeah, sorry… I just…" She sighed and shook her head. "I was a little dizzy."

"Yeah, you spaced out for a minute there," Haruka said, standing up. "Michiru was about to call the ambulance."

The aquamarine-haired teen in question was indeed holding a phone and looking down at the red-head.

"Are you sure you're okay? You don't hurt anywhere?" She asked.

Ranma nodded and stood up, dusting her skirt off.

"Yeah… but I've been better, though." She frowned and looked herself over. Her battle aura was there… tiny, probably even imperceptible to the untrained eye, but there.

"That was a very strange… _phenomenon_ that we just experienced," Michiru said, putting her phone away. "Would you happen to have any idea what it was?"

Ranma shook her head.

"No way, this is weird, even for me." She sighed. "Can you give me a second?" She asked, looking down at her hands with a frown.

Both Haruka and Michiru stared at her for a moment, then shared a look.

"We should get away from here while we can." Haruka said as she started walking away. "We're not sure if that… whatever it may have been, is going to happen again."

Ranma nodded and mutely followed the two of them to the car in an almost robotic fashion while she abandoned the world around her in favor of her inner one. They all got into the vehicle and Haruka started it up and pulled away from the curb.

Feeling the… diminishing of her aura slow to a stop, she finally closed her eyes again. The mental representation of her life force's reservoir appeared immediately. She'd managed to stop it from getting any smaller, but it was still far less than what even someone like Kuno had.

She opened her eyes and looked down at her body. Physically, she was still the same as she'd been that morning, with an embarrassing bit of flab on her stomach and waist which she could grab between her fingers. It didn't hang out or anything, but it was still very, very wrong.

"You sure you're okay?" Haruka asked, glancing at her in the rearview mirror. "You're spacing out again."

Ranma nodded and sat back in her seat.

"I'm just wondering what the hell that was," She sighed, rubbing her head. "This is just frickin' great. I don't know what's going on anymore. Sorry to drag you guys into something weird. I'll understand if you don't want to be around me anymore."

Michiru looked back at her, frowning.

"Nonsense, what sort of people could abandon you to something like _this?_" She said. "Still, you seem to be a bit… wholly unaffected by the situation yourself."

"Yeah," Haruka said. "Most people would be freaking out right about now. Like, remember that time that evil sorcerer took over the airport and threatened the Senshi with the destruction of Tokyo? Mass panic and confusion, that."

Ranma blinked. Sorcerer? Senshi?

"What the heck are you talkin about?" The red headed teen asked. "When did that happen?"

"About a year and a half ago, wasn't it?" Haruka asked, glancing at Michiru.

"I believe so," The aquamarine-haired teen nodded. "It was on national television."

Ranma frowned. A year and a half? That meant it would have happened right around the time she'd gotten to Nerima… maybe a few months after? She couldn't be exactly sure.

"What? I'd _remember_ something like that… what kind of senshi are you talking about, anyway?"

Haruka glanced at her through the rearview mirror again.

"You know, the Sailor Senshi." She said, as if expecting that to answer everything.

Ranma blinked. It didn't.

"I've never heard of these 'Sailor Senshi'," Ranma said. "What are they?"

Michiru and Haruka shared a look, and the blonde pulled her car over to the side of the road.

"They're defenders of love and justice. Superheroes, for lack of a better term," Haruka said as she and Michiru looked back at her. "They fight demons and evil wizards and mad scientists that want to destroy the planet and such. You've seriously never heard of them? They're really popular, they've even had a sentai show based on them. Not that it's at all _accurate_…" She muttered the last part with a muffled snigger.

Ranma shrugged.

"Not really," She said. "I don't pay attention to that kind of thing, really. I've got my own fair share of foul sorcerers to think about. I'm sure this mess with the dojo was _caused_ by one such person," She sighed.

The other teens shared a look and nodded.

"If you really suspect that, you might want to get in touch with the senshi then," The blonde said. "I can't guarantee anything, but they should be able to help you, at least to figure out what it was we just went through."

Ranma blinked.

"Really?"

"It certainly wouldn't hurt to try." Michiru said, retrieving her cellphone and beginning to type. "It'd be too dangerous for people like us to try and figure it out, anyway."

Ranma frowned and opened her mouth to respond, then sighed.

"I guess," She admitted with a semi-shrug. "What, do they have some kind of Evil Wizard Troubles Hotline or something?"

"Well… no," Haruka said, glancing at Michiru.

"I have a friend who claims to know them," Michiru said without stopping her text message. "I can't guarantee we'll get you a meeting, but I can try."

Ranma nodded.

"Well, thanks," She said. "Still, sorry about all of this."

"No problem," Haruka said. "Is there anywhere else you want to go?" She asked.

"Hmm… well, yeah, there are a few places I'd like to check," Ranma said.

-x-x-

Ranma guided the blonde to the places where the _Nekohanten_ and _Ucchan's_ _should_ have been, but unsurprisingly, neither were there, replaced instead by some other businesses. When they cruised by Furinkan, Ranma noticed with growing confusion that the school had been completely remodeled and even had some new buildings that she hadn't noticed before. It looked quite a lot more modern than she remembered, too, with a new sign in front of the school.

"Say, Red," Haruka said, noticing Ranma's disposition. "When's the last time you were here? Nothing you've said has been right so far… not counting that weird phantom dojo, and technically even that's not there anymore."

"_Yesterday_," Ranma said with a growl. "I bet it all disappeared just like the dojo."

The Michiru and Haruka shared a look, but otherwise remained silent.

"If you guys don't mind, there's one more place I want to check, not too far from here." Ranma said.

"Sure," Haruka said with a shrug.

-x-x-

Ten minutes later, the convertible stopped in front of a two story house that Ranma had been to many times in the past. The pig-tailed martial artist could not hide the relief that surged through her at the sight of a familiar _something._

"I can't believe it, it's actually here, like I remember, instead of some freaky replacement!" She said, looking up at the Hibiki residence in awe. Like any other house in the area, the yard was absolutely tiny, as space was a premium in Tokyo, and the entire property was fenced in, with all of five feet separating it from the neighboring houses. '_Then again, maybe Ryoga's house is like the rest of the family and got lost when it was supposed to go away.'_

"Someone else might _live_ here," Michiru pointed out.

"Ugh… I hope not." Ranma muttered.

"Well, who are you here to see?" The blonde asked, glancing back at her.

"A friend from middle school. I'm gonna go see if he's here," Ranma said, hopping out of the backseat of the convertible and walking up to the plant that was potted in a large cement block at the front gate of the house. She grabbed it by the base and strained to pull the plant up out of the block with a grunt, the large block of dirt from the pot sticking to the root in a single big clump. She pointedly ignored the strain it was putting on her, instead looking down inside the pot.

"Um, Ranma… isn't that a bit heavy?" Michiru asked as she and Haruka watched.

"Not really," Ranma lied as her arm began to sag under the weight despite the extra boost she was getting from her chi. She felt another surge of hope when she saw a small, faded key covered in bits of dirt at the bottom of the container. She reached in to pick it up, then replaced the plant and walked over to the door.

'_Hmm, maybe I should knock just to be sure…' _She thought, doing just that. Waiting for a few minutes, she was unsurprised by the lack of response and instead stuck the key in the door and opened it, then proceeded to walk in and look around. Everything was just as she remembered. '_Finally, some consistency,'_ She thought, walking straight to the kitchen. '_Then again, they're never here to redecorate in the first place.'_

The refrigerator had a notepad sticking to it, with three little notes hanging around it. One from Ryouga's father, about a business meeting in Europe, dated two weeks ago, one from his mother about a shopping trip dated six months ago, and finally one from Ryouga himself about the food in the fridge being two years past the sell-by date, so he was about to throw it away, dated three months ago.

'_Yuck,_' she thought, grabbing a note and pen nearby. '_Still, he's due to show up here soon if it's been that long.'_ She quickly started to scribble on the pad and blinked. '_Um... geez…_ _what phone number do I give him..?' _She frowned and shook her head. She sighed in annoyance when she realized she didn't know "her" cell phone number and turned around and ran back through the house and outside.

"They here?" Haruka asked, looking at the redhead.

"Nah, I need to leave a note, but I forgot my cell number." The teen said, searching her backpack for the little device. She found it quickly and then blankly stared at it for a moment, not quite sure what to do. There were so many bells and whistles on the main page alone that she didn't really have the slightest idea of how to get the settings. "Um, how do I get my phone number?" She asked, looking at Haruka. "Do you know?"

Michiru giggled and looked the other girl over with a small smile.

"Let me see it," She said, holding a hand out.

Ranma looked at the proffered hand and shrugged before giving it to the other girl.

"Sorry, I'm not used to something this fancy," She said.

"Really?" Haruka asked. "I'd have thought you'd be one of the first to have the newest models."

Ranma chuckled nervously.

"Er, well… ah…"

"Your phone number," Michiru said, and Ranma looked over at her. "Zero, nine, zero," She started, and the red-head began writing. "Five, nine, seven, zero, Seven, one, three, one." Ranma nodded and turned around, then started heading to the house again.

"Thanks!" She called back as she ran into the house.

Once inside, she stuck the note on the fridge and read it over for mistakes.

_Hey Ryouga, next chance you get, call me at 080-5970-7131. –Ranma_

Ranma blinked, then grabbed another post-it note and appended,

_If I don't answer, wait by the damn phone so I can call you back._

She stood back and looked it over, then nodded and walked out of the house, closing and locking it behind her. She walked over to the plant and lifted it up again, then tossed the key back and dropped the plant back onto it, sighing with relief when she let go. '_Whew. Man, I hate being weak.'_ She thought, dusting her hands off and walking back to the car. She hopped into the back and sighed.

"Man, I hope that idiot gets back here soon," She sighed. "But yeah, this is the last one. Sorry about all of this, and thanks," Ranma said.

"Hey, it's not a problem," Haruka said, getting the car back onto the street. "So, where to now?"

Ranma blinked.

'_Yeah… good question.'_ She shook her head. "I donno… I'm out of ideas," The redhead admitted.

"You wanna go home then?" The blonde asked as she turned onto a large street.

"Huh? Er…" Ranma blinked, considering it. "Not really… you guys wanna hang out or something?"

Haruka blinked.

"Sure. Any ideas?"

Ranma shrugged.

"Want to get something to eat? My treat,"

"Sure," Haruka said. "Do you know anything in the area?" Ranma frowned at the back of the driver's head, while the blond looked at her in the rearview mirror as the car stopped at a light. "Heh, sorry, I couldn't resist." Haruka said, glancing at her in the rear view mirror.

Ranma rolled her eyes, and sat back in the car.

'_What now?_'

"You said you spend most of your time training, right?" Haruka asked as the light changed and she started going again.

"Yeah," Ranma said. "You could even say my life has been a constant battle up to this point, really."

"Really?" Haruka whistled. "I hate to admit it, but you just seem a lot less in shape than most martial artists I've seen," she said.

"I did tell you about the rich family that kidnapped me and stole my skills right?" Ranma asked with a snort.

The blonde blinked, then glanced at her through the mirror again.

"You were _serious_, weren't you?"

Ranma nodded.

"Well… I'm not entirely sure it was them, at this point, but I've got no idea who _else_ it could have been."

There was silence for a moment as the other two teens considered the information.

"Hmm…" Haruka frowned. "Well, you'll have to show me your moves some time."

"Yeah, sure. Just as soon as I figure out what won't break this puny little body," Ranma muttered.

There was a contemplative silence, before Michiru looked back at her.

"Do you ever do anything else, like go to amusement parks, or the movies, or anything like that?"

Ranma snorted.

"Sure, but every time I leave the house I'm attacked by this or that," She said. "It'd turn into a fight anyway. I'm kinda surprised nothing has happened today…" She frowned. "That might have something to do with this whole bait-and-switch deal."

Michiru shook her head and turned to look away from her.

"You poor girl," She said with a heavy sigh.

Ranma frowned and opened her mouth, but stopped and closed it.

"Hmmm…"

Ranma looked up at driver, who was giving her a sidelong glance.

"Hey Red, you wanna go bowling after we eat?" Haruka asked.

Ranma blinked as she considered it.

"Sure."

-x-_**Kenichi**_–x-

Kenichi walked into his house with a frown on his face and sore arms and legs. His mother walked into the room upon hearing him shut the door, and gasped.

"Kenichi! There you are!" He slipped his shoes off and slowly made for his room as she continued talking. "Where have you been? It's dark outside!" She inspected him as he got closer and frowned. "And your clothes are all dirty! How did you do that? Were you playing in the dirt or something?" She asked.

Kenichi looked over at his mother and then down at his books.

"Mom, I… I think I need to be alone for a few minutes." He said. "Sorry…" He walked past her and she watched him with a small frown on her face.

"What happened this time? Was that awful Niijima boy picking on you again?" She asked. "Ken-chan, you've got to stand up for yourself! If that little hoodlum and his cronies are bullying you, you've got to let people know! Remember when they broke your arm? What if something like that happened again?!"

Kenichi looked at her out of the corner of his eye, then shook his head nervously.

"Ah, actually… It was something else! I just, uh, got distracted with thinking… and uh… yeah… I'm not done yet."

She blinked at his statement several times, then frowned.

"Are you sure it's not him?" She demanded, though most of her energy seemed to be gone.

"Yeah, pretty sure," He said with a smile. "Can I go now?"

"Well, all right." she said after a brief pause. "You be sure and get your homework done."

"I will…" He said before going to his room. He sighed and dropped his books at the door before walking over to his bedding and flopping down on it. He rolled over to look up at the ceiling and sighed. "Miu and Kisara are acting strange… I get incredibly tired really fast… Ryozanpaku dojo is _gone_… Just what in the world going _on_ here?" He sighed and looked over at his bookshelf. As he did so, he noticed that the setup of his room was actually slightly different from before, but the differences were so small as to have been imperceptible unless one was paying attention. For one, on his desk was a much newer looking model desktop computer than his old hand-me-down.

He got up and walked over to the desk, inspecting it in confusion. He blinked in surprise as he noticed a pair of glasses sitting next to the keyboard, and picked them up. With a frown, he blinked his eyes several times; the blurriness that had pervaded him all day did not go away. It'd made reading hard, and he had had to lean in close to the books to get a good image.

"Huh…" He slowly lifted the glasses up to his face as a bead of sweat formed on his forehead and slowly made its way down his face. He closed his eyes and put the glasses on, then opened his eyes again.

The blurriness was gone.

"No way…"

Kenichi pulled the glasses away from his face, his hands shaking.

"This… this can't be right…" He muttered, rubbing his eyes. The blurriness was still there. He shook his head and set the glasses back where they were, then looked the rest of the room over. There were a couple of posters he did not recognize on the wall, something about video games he was not familiar with. Frowning, he walked over to one and looked up at it in confusion. On it was a handsome bishounen man dressed in regal clothing with a elegant sword at his waist and a cape, and a caption beside him.

"Big brother!" He was jolted by the sudden shout and turned around to see a sight he was not expecting.

There standing at his door was Honoka, clad in a dark purple leotard. He gasped as he looked her body over. She was much more fit than he remembered; her abs were perfection, her arms and legs had shapely muscles, and her entire body seemed to be brimming with healthy energy. The leotard was nearly identical to Miu's, in that it was so thin as to resemble body paint more than clothing, but it went all the way down to her shins rather than stop at her thighs.

The boy shuddered; while on Miu it would have been attractive, it was very strange seeing his sister in that getup.

Stranger still was the musculature.

'_Since when is Honoka so buff!?_' He thought, eyes wide. He raised a hand up to her abs and ran a finger over them; they were rock solid. '_Did the masters train her behind my back?_'

The girl giggled.

"Hey, that tickles!" She said, backing away from him for a second. "But hey, I heard you were brooding again! Did that meanie Niijima bust you up again? If he did, just say the word and I'll wring his little alien neck!" She said, walking into his room with a bouncy stride and an annoyed look on her face.

"What? No, it's nothing like that," He said, tilting his head. "Uh… have you been working out or something? When did you get that… athletic?" He asked awkwardly.

"Huh?" She snickered and then started laughing. "Of course I've been working out! I've been training with Fuurinji-sensei for a year now! Remember?" He blinked as he saw her right arm blur up towards his chest, then fall back to her side.

The buttons in his shirt spontaneously came undone all at once and he blinked.

"See?" She folded her arms behind her head and gave him a bored look.

'_T, that was __**fast**__!_' He stared at her in confusion, "B-but wait a minute… did you say Fuurinji-sensei?" Kenichi quickly bounded over to her, garnering a look of surprise from her. "You mean the elder?"

"Huh? Elder?" She frowned. "Fuurinji-sensei's the same age as you!"

"E, eh? You mean, Miu-san? Not the elder?"

"Of course? Who's this elder you're talking about?" The thirteen year old asked, frowning.

Kenichi let go of his sister's shoulders and backed away from her. He looked down at his hands, then over at the glasses on his desk.

"But… no one ever told me you were training this whole time… You'd think at least Miu-san would have said something about this…" He shook his head. "Wait a minute… what do you mean, who's the Elder? You know Miu-san's grandfather." He asked with a slight frown. She stared up at him in confusion.

"Sensei's grandfather?" She blinked and held her finger up to her mouth. "Nope, I've never met her grandfather."

"…" Kenichi frowned at that. "Why haven't I seen you in those clothes before? When were you ever training?" He asked. "Did they ask you to keep it a secret from me? Why?"

She frowned and he could see that she was getting even more confused by his questions.

"I've never seen you do more than play Othello with Apachai at the dojo." He said.

Honoka closed narrowed her eyes in confusion and a bead of sweat rolled down the side of her head.

"Apachai? Dojo?" Kenichi froze. "Big brother, what are you talking about?"

"The… Ryozanpaku dojo," He said, looking at her carefully. "Where the six crazy martial arts masters live… and where I have been training in martial arts for the past year."

She tilted her head and looked at him in surprise.

"You've been training at a dojo?" She tilted her head the other way. "Have you been going every other day or something? No one told me about this…" As she was talking, Kenichi looked down at his hands again, incidentally finally realizing what it was that seemed off about them. There were no calluses. "If you wanted, I'm sure I could have asked Miu-sensei to help you out, you'd be way better off than you are now-"

Kenichi suddenly ran around her and through the door to the hallway.

"Huh? Big-brother?" She blinked, then shrugged and turned to follow him out.

Kenichi made a beeline for the bathroom and immediately opened the door, then peered into the mirror. He pulled his shirt up… and a look of shock settled on his face again and he took a step back from the mirror.

"No… no, this can't… this can't be happening! No!" A look of utter horror came to his face as he stared at the mirror. "_No!_ _**Nooooo**__!_"

Staring back at him was the body of a slightly over-weight, but definitely unfit sixteen year old. Honoka ran into the bathroom and looked at him in surprise.

"Big brother! Are you alright?!" She asked. She looked at what he was doing and then looked at the mirror and then him again. "What's wrong? You sounded like you were hurt!"

Kenichi's only response was wide-eyed shock and horror.

"Big brother? Big brother!" She ran over to him and started shaking him by the arm. "Get a hold of yourself!"

"What's going _on_ here?!" Their mother asked as she walked over to the door. "Ken-chan, are you all right?!"

Kenichi felt a bit woozy as his sister shook him about and he let his shirt drop.

"It's got to be a dream," He muttered, looking down from the mirror. "It's… got to be," He gasped as he tried to flex his muscles. He pushed down on one of his biceps and it gave easily. Turning to look at Honoka, he quickly grabbed her arm and did the same thing. "F, flex your arm," He said. Confused, she did so, and when he tried to push down on it, it felt as solid as a rock. He quickly pulled away from her and looked at her in horror.

"B, big brother?" The younger girl asked, confused. "What's… what's wrong?"

"Kenichi, are you all right?" His mother asked, walking into the bathroom.

"No! I'm not all right!" He snapped. "I can't… this… I don't understand!" the two females were taken aback by his sudden burst and the wild look on his face. "Somebody tell me what's going on here! Everything is totally wrong here! Kisara allergic to cats, Miu doesn't know me, the _dojo is gone!_ Honoka is as strong as I am… or used to be… but she doesn't know the elder? This has been going on way too long to be a dream!"

His sister and mother looked at each other with worried expressions and frowned.

"Ken-chan… What… what are you _talking_ about?"

The young martial artist stared at them, for a moment, unsure of what to say.

"I…" He shook his head. "I've got to calm down and think," He realized, closing his eyes. "This… this is getting me nowhere." He sighed and shook his head, then took several deep breaths. '_Think, Kenichi! Who could I go to in a time like this? I have no clue where the masters are in this upside down world… Maybe Honoka would know?'_ He opened his eyes and looked at his younger sister. "Honoka." He started. "Aside from Miu-san, does anyone else teach you?"

She blinked at that, and tilted her head, then nodded.

"Sometimes, we visit dojos and the masters let us practice with them," She said. "But that's rare."

He frowned.

"How often?"

"Uhm… maybe once a month?" She said, tilting her head. "Why? Did you really want to start practicing with sensei and me?"

He frowned.

"Um, maybe…" He said amiably. '_Hmm… If Miu doesn't live at the dojo, then…_' He looked up at his two family members and noticed the expressions they were giving him. "Um, could you give me Miu-san's phone number?" He asked.

"Eh? Well, yeah, but… if you want to learn, wouldn't it be better to just ask her when you see her at school tomorrow?" She asked, tilting her head. "You go to the same school right?"

"Er, this is about something else, something in class today," He said. "I've got to ask her something else…"

His sister and mother traded looks again, and the younger female shrugged.

-x-_**Ranma**_-x-

Later, when the sun was down and the moon had begun its ascent, Michiru chuckled lightly as she lead the way from the bowling alley to the car, with both Ranma and Haruka following behind and looking slightly less cheery.

"Three games in a row?" Haruka muttered.

"You were cheating, weren't you?" Ranma asked.

"It's just technique, girls," Michiru said with a chuckle. "Skill and technique."

"Ha! Just watch, I'll figure it out in time to beat you next time we do this." Ranma said determinedly.

"I don't know, Ranma," Haruka said with a snort. "Just over half your shots were gutterballs,"

"I'm telling you, I'm not used to being so _weak_," She said. "I'll have it down by then, mark my words!"

"Words marked," Michiru said with another chuckle as they reached the car. Both the top and windows were up. "Well, it's fairly late. Did you want to go home?" She asked, looking at the red-head.

"To those rich kidnappers?" Ranma asked with a frown.

"We don't know that it was them," Haruka pointed out as she unlocked the car remotely while walking to the driver's side. "But I think, unless you think they're going to hurt you, you should try to play along and see what you can learn."

Ranma frowned just as Michiru's phone started beeping. She looked over at the aquamarine haired teen to see that she was looking at her phone.

"Hm. It's the friend I mentioned earlier. She got the Senshi to agree to meet with you on Sunday. It seems they were dealing with a monster attack tonight." She said.

"Really?" Ranma blinked. "That was fast."

Michiru chuckled.

"They're interested in your case," She said as she got in the car. "This was the first monster attack in a while, and it seems like this was a straggler from the last group they destroyed, so they have quite a bit of free time these days."

"They say where?" Ranma asked as she joined them in the car.

"Not yet. I'll send you a text with directions when they do."

"Hey, are you going to be free Sunday?" Haruka said. "We're going to the best spot in town to watch the eclipse. Wanna come with?"

"Eh?" Ranma blinked. "I didn't know there was gonna be one… but I don't think I can go…" She said.

Haruka looked back at her as she started the car.

"So, you decided what you're going to do?" The blonde asked.

"Yeah… I guess I'll go to the mansion," Ranma said.

"Right."

The three sat there in silence for a minute while the car ran.

"So how do we get there?" Haruka asked, before looking at her.

"Huh? Er… gimme a sec," Ranma said, grabbing her cell phone.

-x-x-x-

When the fashionable sports-car turned onto the Fujibayashi property, Haruka whistled.

"Wow. I gotta admit, nice digs ya got here, Ranma." The blonde said as they pulled up to the driveway. "You actually live in a _castle_?"

"I do now, apparently. You can let me off here, I'll just walk the rest of the way," The red head said.

"You sure about that?" Haruka asked.

"Yeah," Ranma said. "Thanks for the good times. I'll see you later if they don't mail me off to Mars," the red-head said as she opened the door and grabbed "her" bag.

"Hah, you bet." The driver said, turning to watch her climb out.

"Call us sometime, we'll be happy to play again." Michiru said with a smile.

"I will," Ranma said, before closing the door and stepping back. She waved at the two of them as Haruka pulled the car back out and into the empty street before turning to face the mansion.

-x-x-x-

When Ranma stepped into the mansion, Mitsukoshi was there to greet her.

"Ah, young miss," He said. "How was your day? Did you have fun?"

"Um, yeah, sure," She said. She held up her backpack to him. "Here, you take this."

"Of course," He said. "Did you receive any homework for tonight, young miss?"

She blinked.

"Err…_ no?"_ Ranma chuckled nervously. "They said I should take it easy because it was my first day. Yeah."

Mitsukoshi nodded.

"So in other words, you have homework." He said.

She frowned.

"What? No, how did you get that?"

He sighed and opened her bag, then peered inside.

"Let's see…"

She frowned and ran over to him, but he held it up out of reach.

"Hey, who said you could look in there!? Stop!"

"Aha, here we go…" He pulled out a piece of paper and held it up for her to see. "This is homework, isn't it?"

She immediately snatched it and balled it up, then put it in her mouth.

"I haf no idea whath you're talking abouth."

The man looked downright scandalized by her behavior, and she triumphantly turned and walked around him.

"Now if you'll exuthe me…"

"Not so fast," He said, grabbing a hold of her. He turned her to face him and reached for her mouth, but she bit down on his hand and he pulled back. "Ow!" He looked over at the redhead and saw her clamp her mouth shut. "Just what is _wrong_ with you, young lady?"

She gave him a serious look.

"I thought I told you guyth earlier-"

As she spoke he reached inside with lightning quickness and pulled out the paper. It was wet and crinkly, but still whole.

"- that I - Damn it, I knew I should have swallowed that!"

"Come on, stop playing around," The butler said with a sigh. "It's not exactly a good idea to eat paper."

She crossed her arms.

"I've done it before. S' good source a' fiber."

"We don't know what kind of ink this is," He pointed out, unfolding the paper. "Ugh… dear girl, did you really think you could get out of doing this by eating it?"

"I could if I'd swallowed it." She pointed out.

"But then you'd get a failing mark," He said with a sigh. "Do you really need that on your first homework assignment?"

She frowned.

"Hey, you're a butler. I order you to do it for me," She said, turning around.

He gave the sopping wet mess an incredulous look.

"Are you kidding? Come on, now, it can't be that hard," He said, turning to face her… "Just do it and you can…"

He blinked, and looked around.

She was gone.

"Young miss? _Young miss?_"

He sighed.

"That girl…"

-x-x-x-

Ranma stretched her arms up overhead as she walked down a hallway.

'_Man, I don't know how much more of this crap I can take. Just this morning was bad enough, having all of these morons calling me "young miss" is gonna get really annoying.' _She sighed and stopped walking. _'I need to train. No pops to wake me up, no Akane to toughen me up, no old goat to randomly show up and surprise me… at this rate I'll go soft to the core!' _She frowned and continued walking. '_I've got to find some place they can't see me… or just train under the Umisenken…' _She blinked. '_Hmm, that might not be a bad idea, actually… it might give me a challenge.'_

She snickered at the idea of training right in front of people without them ever noticing.

'_I might also get to learn something about these crazy people who've kidnapped me. Now to switch into some take it easy clothes…'_ The teen resumed walking. '_I just need to remember where this girl's room is, maybe I can find something there…'_

-x-_**Kenichi**_-x-

Kenichi sat on his bedding and looked down at his cell phone as he put in the number. He'd thought it would have been different, but it'd been the same as the number he remembered for her cell phone. With a bit of hesitation, he pushed "talk" and held the phone up to his ear, then waited. It rang a couple of times, and then he heard the familiar voice.

"Hello?"

"Miu-san!" He could not hide his relief at the familiar voice, but quickly remembered the reason he was calling. "It's me… Honoka's older brother. Kenichi?"

"Hmm..?" There was a pause as she considered it. "_Ahhh_! Of course! I'm _so_ sorry, how did I _forget_ that?" She sounded genuinely apologetic, which made him chuckle. At least he could count on Miu to be the same… he hoped. "I didn't know you were in my class! _I'm so sorry_!"

"It's okay, I'm a forgettable guy…" He muttered. "But, um, you're not busy are you?"

"Well, I was about to get started with tonight's homework…" She started sheepishly. "…but I can spare a few minutes. What was it you needed?"

He paused as he realized he hadn't thought up anything to ask her. He very quickly went over the conversation he'd had with Honoka and spoke about the first thing that came to mind.

"Um… do you know anyone named Apachai? Apachai Hopachai to be exact." There was silence on the other end for a moment before she spoke up.

"Apachai…" The way she was testing the name told him that it was unfamiliar. "I've heard it before, but… I can't quite remember where… sorry…"

"I see," He muttered. "How about… Kouetsuji Akisame?"

There was silence.

"I… I knew a man with that name," She said with a bit of unease in her voice. "But Shirahama-san, how do you know that name?"

Kenichi tensed.

"P, please call me Kenichi…" He said.

"E, eh? But I..."

"Uh, makes me feel old when you call me that," He said. "As for Koetsuji-sensei…" He paused as he considered that. What could he say? What would sound right? "Um, how did you know him? He's a jujutsu master… right?"

"That's right, he was… but… he passed away three years ago." Her voice was hard.

Kenichi choked on his breath and stared straight ahead.

"R, really?"

"Um, yes." She said.

There was a pause.

"I… I see," He finally said.

"Shirahama-san… how did you hear about that name?" She asked.

"Please just call me Kenichi," He said. "As for that… I, I saw it on the internet," He said. "I… I was hoping to learn from him…" He said. "What about… Ba Kensei? Kung fu master?"

"Hm? I've not met anyone like that." She said, confused.

"Okay…" He said. That was better than dead… slightly. "What about Shio Sakaki?"

"I've heard of him," She said. "He's a very skilled Karate master, but he's supposedly already got a great many disciples, I'm not sure if he'll be able to spare time for you." She said. "Sorry…"

"Really?" Kenichi frowned. "Sakaki-sensei has… a lot of disciples?" The teen muttered. "Well, I suppose…" He shook his head. If Koetsuji-sensei was… dead, there was little chance that Miu knew where Shigure was… and there was actually no way he could think of finding the weapons master. '_But what about Honoka? If there are no other senseis, then Miu must be…_' He thought. "Say, Miu-san… You're a master class fighter, right?" he asked.

There was a pause.

"…Well… supposedly I'm close to it, but actually…" She sighed. "I'm not really a master yet. I didn't want Honoka to call me sensei, but she insists."

"I see," He muttered. "But you must be pretty skilled."

"That's what I'm told," She said. "…Ever since… my own master died two years ago… it's been harder on me, to balance things, so my progress has slowed down…"

"Ah, I see…"

There was a long, silent pause.

Kenichi blinked. There was another pause, and then he blinked again.

And his jaw dropped.

"Wait a minute, what?! Your… your master is the _**elder**_, isn't _**it**_?!" He asked, alarm and panic showing on his face.

"Elder?" She asked, taken aback. "Er… yes, my grandfather, I guess he was an elder…"

Kenichi felt his blood run cold.

'_The invincible superman? D…dead?_' He suddenly felt woozy and light headed as that statement tried to sink in, but his mind failed to wrap around the concept.

"Hello? Kenichi-san?" Miu's voice drifted into his ear, but it didn't register on his ears at all.

"The super human who invented 108 invincible techniques, among them the Ryusui Seikuuken?" He shook his head. "But… but how?"

"Shira…Kenichi-san? Can you speak up? I can't quite hear you…" She broke him out of his shock and he blinked several times.

"Uh…" Kenichi blinked and looked around. The situation had only become more awkward. "I'm… I'm sorry…" He shook his head. "So… wait, if you're not a master… why did you take on Honoka as a disciple?"

"Er… I kinda need the money to pay rent…I didn't mean to deceive you or your family if that's what you think!" she said with a bit of panic.

"Oh no, that's fine," He said with a bitter chuckle. "You're probably a better teacher than most dojo instructors are anyway." He said.

"A, ah… that's not true…" She sounded embarrassed.

"Sure it is," He said with a smile. "I still remember when you first taught me those steps for the reversal technique, the Ba Gua…"

There was yet another pause.

"Huh?" She asked intelligently.

"Er, uh, nothing," He said. "Um, I'm sorry, I'm taking up all of your time, aren't I! I, I'll see you tomorrow, okay? Bye!"

"Wait!" Her voice cried out to him, and he blinked. "Um… nevermind. Bye bye!" She promptly hung up the phone and he blinked again in slight confusion.

"Huh…" He shook his head and put his phone down, then stared at it. "Man, the more I find out about this… _bizarro_ world, the more insane it gets. Koetsuji-sensei, and Elder… dead? This is insanity." He muttered as he stood up and started for his desk. "But at least Miu is still the same…"

"Brother!" He blinked as a missile flew into the room and latched onto him, knocking the wind out of him. "Does this mean you want to learn martial arts too?" Honoka asked, looking up at him with excitement on her face.

"Gack…" Kenichi gasped for breath and looked down at her. "Uh… maybe…" He blinked several times and then raised an eyebrow down at her. "Say… Honoka… what was it that made you want to take martial arts in the first place?" He asked.

She blushed and looked away from him.

"W-well… there was someone I wanted to protect…" She said, glancing up at him. She looked away from him and started fidgeting. "B, but enough about that! You're finally going to be joining me and Fuurinji-sensei then?"

Kenichi looked up.

"Well, hopefully, I'll wake up from this nonsense soon," He muttered. "But, to protect someone…" He smiled. "That's a pretty good reason, I think…"

-x-x-x-

It was only about an hour later that Kenichi began to feel the phantom tug of sleep. After playing a few video games with Honoka(during which she insisted on sitting in his lap for some reason), he shooed her out of his room and got ready for bed after taking a bath. His homework wasn't done, but he didn't feel like doing it – after all, this was only a dream, or perhaps some kind of training induced coma – it wasn't going to hurt, right?

He sighed and succumbed to exhaustion at only eight forty three.

-x-_**Usagi**_-x-

Usagi sighed as she got up off of Mamoru's motorcycle and took off her helmet. After Chibi-Usa had returned to the future, a single, final Daimon that had called itself "Rangy" had attacked some people in Juuban, searching for pure heart crystals to deliver to masters that had already been defeated. She, the other senshi, and Tuxedo Kamen had only barely managed to defeat the creature, and Luna had said she would be talking something over with Artemis before following her home. She looked down at the shiny helmet, at her own reflection, and frowned. The pink haired girl from the future – her own daughter – had shared so many of her own facial traits that it had felt sometimes like she was looking into a mirror. Now that she was staring at herself, the reverse held true, and her heart ached as she remembered the little girl's face.

"Usako."

She looked down at Mamoru, who smiled back at her through his visor.

"We'll see her again. I promise you that much." He said.

She smiled.

"Yeah… I know we will."

He nodded and gestured towards her house with his head.

"Its getting late. Your parents will be worried," He said.

She looked down at the helmet, then set it on the bike and walked over to hug him. He hugged her back, and after a long moment, she broke away and opened the bike's storage compartment and put the helmet inside, then stepped back.

"Call me."

"I will."

He waved and then took off, and Usagi turned around and walked along the path to her house. She opened the door and stepped inside with a sigh.

"I'm back!" She called out, dropping her shoes at the entrance. Her parents would have thought that she'd just gone out with her friends, since they'd have forgotten about Chibi-Usa when she returned to her own time. She sighed and walked into the living room, then froze at what she saw.

There, sitting next to her younger brother, with a plastic bag in one hand and chips in the other, was a girl who looked slightly older than her, whose pink hair was in a style almost identical to her own. The only difference was the buns on top; the pink haired girl's were pointed.

"Ah, Chibi-Usa!" The pink haired teen called out with a smirk. "How did your date go?" She raised the chips to her mouth and started to noisily munch on them, while Usagi stared back at her in shock and confusion.

'_What. The. Heck?' Usagi shook her head. _"_Chibi-Usa?_ What… what are you doing here?! And why are you so _old!?"_

"What? Chibi-Usa is you, silly," Shingo said, looking back at her.

"Yeah, _silly_." The pink haired teenager said with a self-superior smirk.

Usagi gawked for a moment, then ran over to the other girl and grabbed her by the arm and roughly pulled her away and out of the room.

"What's this I hear about a _**date**_?" Usagi's father demanded as he walked into the room. "Chibi-Usa, are you still dating that older boy?!"

Usagi ignored the fact that even her father was calling her that and instead shouted back as she dragged the other girl upstairs and into her room.

"She's lying, it wasn't a date, I swear!"

Once in her room, she slammed the door shut and stood over it, then stared at the other girl, who was calmly munching on chips.

The blonde Usagi pointed at the other Usagi and opened her mouth,

"What is this!? Some kind of _trick?!_ Didn't you say you were going home?! What's going on here?! Why are you _older_ than me!?_"_

The pinkette rolled her eyes and swallowed the food in her mouth.

"I did go home, stupid. Stayed for a few years," She said. "And now I'm back! Geez, and I thought you'd be happy to see me, odango!"

Usagi stared at the older girl for a moment, and her hand dropped back to her side. It was almost like staring into a mirror. _Almost._

"Uhh…"

Suddenly, there was a knocking at the door.

"Chibi-Usa! Tell me the truth! You're not still dating that older boy, are you!?"

The pink haired Usagi chuckled with a sinister smile as she reached into the bag to retrieve more chips.

"It wasn't a date, I _swear!"_ Usagi turned to look at the pink haired girl and frowned. "_Why are they calling __**me**__ Chibi-Usa?!_" She demanded, walking over to her.

"Well, I'm technically older than you right now, so I figured, why not change a few things up?" She asked, holding up a finger. In a puff of smoke, Luna P appeared on the tip, spinning in place. It slowed down and stopped spinning, then floated off and started to orbit around the girl's head. "I mean, it makes more sense this way, right?"

"_Technically my butt!" _Usagi growled as she ran over and grabbed the other girl by the shirt. "No it doesn't! Fix this right now!" She blinked as she looked down and noticed that the other girl was wearing a familiar pink t-shirt and jean short-shorts. "Hey, are those _my clothes_ you're wearing?"

"Yeah, but the shirt's a little tight on the chest," The pink haired girl said with a frown, to which Usagi blushed and scowled. "I'm going to have to go shopping soon. Anyway, it wouldn't make sense for them to call me Chibi-Usa anymore, I'm the older one! So Nyaaah!" She stuck her tongue out at the girl who was biologically her mother.

Usagi narrowed her eyes.

"I will not forget this," She said, gritting her teeth. "Mark my words, you little ingrate!"

The pink haired girl rolled her eyes.

"Sure you will,"

The blonde narrowed her own.

"Just watch. When you get back, I'm gonna give you a royal spanking!"

"Yeah, sure," The pinkette said, waving it off. "Listen, I'm gonna go finish watching TV. Those old sentai shows uncle Shingo watches are absolutely _hilarious_."

She stood up and walked back out of the room, leaving her future-mother to sit there and watch.

Usagi stared into the hallway silently for a moment. She growled and walked over to her desk and opened it, then retrieved her diary. She picked up a pen and started writing.

'_Note to self: Spank daughter.'_

-x-_**Ranma**_-x-

As Ranma lay in the bed of the girl whose life she'd been given, she stared at the window beyond the silken drapes to the side and considered the day.

'_Just what the heck is going on here anyway…? Let's try and put this whole situation in perspective, now,'_ She thought with a frown. _'I woke up right here, in this bed, this morning, without warning, two districts away from where I fell asleep. Okay, that's easily explainable by kidnapping. The clothes-switching is too.'_ She frowned and turned her head, looking out the window to her right. _'Suddenly being weak isn't, though. That would have had to have been some kind of magic. Locked in my girl form is also possible with magic, but I only know one way for that to happen and there's no reason for Herb to be involved…' _

She sighed and turned on her side.

'_The dojo, Nekohanten, and Ucchan's being gone I have no idea how to explain, but at least Ryouga's house was still there. And after watching them, all of the people here seem to honestly think that I'm the daughter of some moneybags type, and there's pictures of a younger girl-me all over the place to even back them up. Considering all of this…' _

She growled.

'_There's only one thing it could be.'_

The redhead sat up.

'_Some kind of complicated, meticulously planned, expertly executed and drawn out conspiracy whose only purpose is to make me think I've gone utterly crazy!'_

The red head clenched a fist.

'_Well screw that. There's no way I'm playing along with this stupidity. I'm gonna high-tail it out of here and figure out who I need to beat up to make things better.' _

She quickly sat up, then groaned and clutched her side, and fell back down to the bed.

'_Just as soon as I get into shape. Yeah, that's it, I'll get back into shape and then kick some ass, everything will be better.'_

Sighing as the pain diminished, she stared straight up trying to figure out what to do next.

'_I'll have to play along for a little while… see if I can figure out who is behind all of this and reverse this stupid curse lock and weakness. Ryouga's the only clue I've got… if he ever gets home…'_

-x-_**Haruka**_-x-

From the roof of her condo, Tenou Haruka looked out over the city. There was an endless stream of lights moving along the ground so far below, and in the distance one could see clearly the high rise corporate buildings, whose lit windows indicated the people still working in them.

"Here you are," came the familiar voice of her partner. "I'd thought you might be up here. You always come out here to think."

The blonde chuckled.

"Perhaps I should stop, purely for the sake of being less predictable."

The aquamarine-haired teen walked up to her side and put an arm around her own.

"You are thinking about Ranma?"

Haruka glanced down at Michiru.

"I am thinking about what she represents." The blonde answered. "She may be dangerous."

Michiru sighed.

"I do not think it is Ranma we have to be wary of."

When Haruka blinked and looked down at her, she continued.

"She's not the only one, love. Mercury just informed me that at least seven other unidentified energy signals have appeared in much the same fashion, all over the course of the day, and that's just in Tokyo. At least one of them was similar to a daimon in composition, and evidence suggests it brutally attacked a high school boy."

The blonde frowned.

"Sounds like we're going to be real busy soon." She said, wrapping an arm around the other girl.

"Oh?" Michiru raised an eyebrow. "You're going to help the inners?"

Haruka snorted and looked down at the other teen.

"You're the one who even communicated with them. But honestly, I have this sneaking suspicion that the problem at hand concerns all of us. And we did say we'd help Ranma. But…" The blonde turned to look out over the city. "If she… turns out to be an enemy to the kingdom, then we cannot hesitate to slay her."

"Erm, pardon me…"

Both girls blinked and turned around to face the speaker. It was a young man with a long sleeved yellow tunic, black pants, and a very large traveling bag on his back.

"I'm sorry, but can you tell me the way to the Tendo Dojo?"

The two teens blinked in unison, then looked at each other.

-x-_**TBC**_-x-


	2. Chapter 2

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Chapter 2

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-  
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Ranma opened her eyes and immediately scanned the area. Though she was expecting an attack of some sort, she was surprised - and momentarily confused - to see that she was not in the guest room at the Tendo Dojo and about to be 'rudely awoken'; instead, she was in a large, fancy bed with a canopy and drapes. She turned her head to the bedstand, and seeing that the clock read 5:00 AM, she looked outside the window. It was still dark out.

Her body was still sore from the exercises she'd done the day before, but she ignored its protests as she dragged herself out of the bed and stood up. She both yawned and stretched, twisting her body about until a few satisfying cracks and pops sounded and relief flooded through her. She sighed and looked down at the night clothes she'd borrowed from the butler – A white T-shirt and gray boxer briefs - without his ever knowing it. They were a bit big on her, but luckily the boxers had an elastic waist that let it ride on her hips.

She sighed as she ran a finger through her sleep-matted hair. Instead of finding the dojo and Tendo family as she'd left them, _like she'd planned_, the previous day, she'd found out that entire sections of Nerima had been changed overnight. With the dojo gone, that meant all of her personal possessions were also gone, and she had absolutely no idea how to contact her fiancé, or the girl's family. Similarly, the Nekohanten and Ucchan's were missing as well, as were their respective owners. That was just about everyone in her inner circle, all spirited away by some mysterious means in the course of a few hours. The realization had left her in shock and at a complete loss of how to proceed, but now, having had enough time to process the sudden changes, she was finally starting to consider the situation in depth.

'_Now that I think about it, aint no way those buildings coulda been torn down and rebuilt in that much time, and they didn't exactly look spankin' new. Unless there's some kind of martial arts construction work style…' _She thought, walking to the window. She opened it and leaned on the window sill._ 'Even the Furinkan guys have to take a few days to fix that kind of damage, and they're __**pros**__. Not only that, but the people I recognized looked different. Ms. Yamane… the old lady who pours her bath water out whenever I run by… that police box bro on the corner of the old ghoul's street… it was like they were different people.' _

She looked down at her arms on the window sill.

'_**I'm**__ different. So exactly how did they do all this? __**Who **__did this? Why?' _She shook her head and looked outside. '_I've never had a dream that lasted this long and been this consistent, and even so, in a dream, my chi wouldn't change like that. I'm __**actually**__ weaker than I used to be.' _The red headed girl turned back into the room and looked around at all of "Teriha's" possessions. It was a bit more girlish than any of the Tendo sisters' rooms, with garish pink and reds everywhere, all the dolls and feminine accessories. '_This is all just so weird, __**none**__ of it makes sense. There's just so many things that are different without any rhyme or reason. It's like the whole __**world's**__ gone crazy!' _

She frowned and turned her head back, to gaze out the window. The estate's massive lawn was a bit too European for her, both in design, and in how it didn't leave enough open space for her to really train what with all of the imported plants and hedges.

'_What am I even doing here? I can't find anything out if I just play along with these guys and their little princess game.' _She shook her head. '_But where do I go? What can I do? The only other place I haven't checked is Kuno's, and…' _

She shuddered, then cleared her mind, walked over to the beanbag chair in the middle of the room, and plopped down on it.

'_I'm also going to have to find a place to train properly. There's gotta be a park around here somewhere, or something. I'm gonna have to spend every waking moment outside of school fixin' this damn body and trying to figure out what the hell's happened. If I didn't have to figure out what the hell was going on here, I'd be out of here and on a training trip pronto…' _Ranma growled and muttered under her breath. '_Man, this whole thing is just starting to piss me off!"_

She sighed and blew a few calming breaths, then crossed one leg over the other.

'_Well, I'm up now… what to do…' _She looked around the room and frowned. There wasn't anything but girls' stuff, and she didn't feel like watching TV, especially whatever was on that early in the morning. '_May as well get ready for school… at least it's a half-day.'_ She stood up, then walked out of the room.

-x-_**Usagi**_-x-

The blonde, double-ponytailed girl who moonlighted as a superhero blinked out of her stupor and stared up into a familiar pair of red eyes.

"Usagi."

She blinked several times, trying to focus on the voice.

"Eh?" She asked.

"If you don't wake up, I am going to pour water on you."

Usagi yawned and turned over on her side.

"That's nice, Chibi-Usa… go play with the other kids…" She yawned again and closed her eyes. "Mmm… _Mamo-chan…"_

When a pitcher full of ice water fell on her, the blonde screamed and jumped out of the bed.

"That's more like it!" Chibi-Usa cackled while Usagi stared dumbly at the pink-haired teen who had taken residence in her room. The other girl was wearing an unfamiliar school uniform and had a smirk on her face.

As the gears began to turn in her sleep-fogged, yet adrenaline pumped mind, she scowled at the other girl and grit her teeth.

"What was _that_ for!" She demanded.

"It's time to wake up." The pinkette said, pointing at their clock.

It was six thirty exactly.

"What? It's _**early!**_" The blonde shouted with indignant rage. "_How could you interrupt my beauty sleep like that?"_

"Oh _come on_, you should be getting ready to go to school. _Idiot_." Chibi-Usa said with a frown. "It would really help your grades if you weren't late all the time, you know?"

Usagi scowled.

"_Who cares?_"

The pink haired girl rolled her eyes.

"Whatever! Go take a bath and get dressed, then go downstairs and get your food."

The blonde sighed in frustration as she started walking towards the door.

"Stupid daughters and their _stupid_ proactive attitudes…"

-x-x-x-

When Usagi made her way to the dining table that morning, the sound and smell of breakfast wafted in from the kitchen, and the window let in a pleasantly warm ray of light. Seated at the dining table were her parents and brother, and she was met with stares from every single member of the family. Shingo – the younger brother - raised an eyebrow and spoke up.

"Wow, Usagi, you actually got out of bed? Did you piss in your sleep or something?"

Usagi rolled her eyes.

"I'm not you, stupid." She said as she sat down.

"Shingo! Usagi!" Their mother frowned. "It's too early for that! Honestly…"

Usagi blinked as she took her place at the table.

"But hey, if Mom's not cooking, then who is?" She asked, looking around with a frown.

Just then, Chibi-Usa walked in with a tray and set it on the middle of the table.

"Sorry to keep you all waiting." The pinkette said as she distributed plates of omelets and toast around the table.

Usagi stared at the pink haired teenager in confusion as the other girl set food down in front of her. She looked down at the food before her and blinked several times.

"Not at all dear," Ikuko, Usagi's mother, said with a smile. "It's nice to try someone else's cooking for a change!"

The family, save Usagi, all uttered the obligatory phrases before they started eating, while Chibi-Usa sat down with them at the table.

"This is pretty good," Shingo said, drawing a glance from Usagi.

The blonde peered down at her own plate and narrowed her eyes.

'_She… she can cook?'_ The teen thought as she reached down and picked up a fork. She used it to cut up and lift part of an omelet from the plate and inspected it. She sniffed it a few times. '_It… it __**smells**__ good…'_

"What's wrong, Chibi-Usa?" Ikuko asked, looking over at her daughter.

'_That's not me!'_ Usagi mentally wailed as she looked from the omelet to Chibi-Usa, who was smirking at her, and frowned. "Um… is this _really_ safe to eat…?" Usagi muttered. She bit into it and her eyes widened. '_This… this is __**delicious**__!' _She quickly ate the rest of the omelet and moved on to the rest of the meal, finishing before anyone else.

"Heh." Chibi-Usa wore a smug smile on her face and ate her own food at a more dignified pace, while Usagi frowned and looked down at her plate in defeat.

'_Dang. She's… she's good.'_

-x-x-x-

As Usagi walked to school with Chibi-Usa beside her, the blonde looked over at the slightly taller girl and frowned. It was… _awkward,_ to say the least, that she was walking side-by-side with a girl that was technically her daughter, but _older_ than her.

"Um… so… how, uh, have you been?"

Chibi-Usa looked over at her and chuckled.

"Well, it's been a few years. At lot's happened, good and bad." Chibi-Usa said with a genuine smile. "But it's been what, a day for you? I haven't missed much, have I?"

Usagi blinked.

"You came back the night you left!"

The pink haired girl nodded.

"Yup, thought so. You miss me?"

Usagi gave her a half-lidded stare.

"Well, I did for the first thirty or so minutes… until I got _home_…" she muttered.

"Aww, I'm touched," Chibi-Usa said with a grin.

"Why are you here anyway?" Usagi asked. "I'm sure it can't be because schools here are higher quality than where you come from." She said in a deadpan.

"Well, my mom said," Chibi-Usa said turning to look at her with a frown, "To '_expand my horizons' _and learn some things they don't _teach_ at a normal school."

Usagi frowned and turned to face her daughter from the future.

"Huh? So what are you supposed to do?"

"You tell me!" The pink haired girl said with a irritated snort. "It was _your_ idea!"

Usagi blinked.

"Good point. I'll get back to you on that…"

"Uhuh. Sure." When they reached a corner, she stopped walking, and Usagi stopped as well, turning to look at her. "Well, I'm going to the high school over here, so see you later!"

Usagi nodded.

"Um… yeah… sure."

The pink haired girl started walking around the corner and turned to look back at her as she waved.

"Don't tell the others yet! I wanna surprise them!"

Usagi blinked, then shrugged and nodded.

"Okay! See you later!" The blonde waved back at the other girl and then started walking again.

-x-x-x-

When Usagi walked into her classroom, every student that was talking went silent, and those who were doing something else caught on to the sudden shift in noise and looked around, quickly noticing her. Usagi walked over to her seat and dropped her stuff there, then plopped down in it.

The silence went on until Usagi looked up and around the room, noticing that everyone was staring at her. She blinked several times.

"What? Is something wrong?"

"You're much earlier than usual." Umino, the boy with thick coke bottle glasses pointed out.

"Did something happen at home, Usagi-chan?" Ami asked, a look of concern on her face.

"Yeah, like your house burning down or something?" Naru Osaka, a girl with bright brown hair who happened to be one of Usagi's childhood friends, asked.

"What? No! I just woke up early, that's all!" She said with a pout. Looks of disbelief and confusion floated around the room, and she frowned. "What, I can't wake up on time for once? Is it _**criminal**_ for a girl to want to aspire to be a good role model for all the good children in… the…"

Her stomach started to gurgle ominously and she winced, clutching it.

"Uh…" She made a face. "I… have to be right back…" She said, suddenly standing up and running out of the room as fast as she could.

The rest of the students all shared a look of confusion, while Ami stared after her departed friend with a look of concern.

-x-_**Ranma**_-x-

Ranma made her way into the classroom she'd been assigned with a sigh.

"Hey." Haruka waved over to her, and Ranma waved back, then went over to sit next to her.

"Yo." Ranma glanced over at where Michiru was sitting as she set her bag down. "Hey, you wouldn't happen to know how to get put on the uniform exceptions list, would ya?" She asked.

"Hah, if I did, I'd be on it," The blonde said with a snort. "Why, you don't like the uniform?"

"_Hell_ no." Ranma said with a sigh as she looked down at her skirt. She frowned. '_Back at Furinkan, they let me go in my own threads because of my stupid curse. Now, though…' _She scowled and gritted her teeth. '_I'm going to have to make a trip to Jusenkyo soon. If I just jump into the spring of drowned man, that should fix the damned thing, lock or no.'_ She sighed and looked over at Haruka again. "Hey, did you get the math homework?"

"Huh? Yeah, it was kinda easy," Haruka said. "Did you have trouble?"

Ranma scoffed.

"It's not that I had trouble… I just didn't see any reason to finish it," She snorted.

Haruka snickered.

"You're not good at math?"

"Well, I'm not some kind of super genius, no, but I'm fairly competent," Ranma snorted.

"Oh yeah?" Haruka grabbed a pencil and scribbled something on a piece of paper then held it up. "What's the answer?"

Ranma blinked. It looked like a poorly drawn long division symbol, what with the line on the side being squiggly, but there was only one number there.

"Division, right? You've only got one number there, how am I supposed to answer that?"

Haruka raised an eyebrow.

"This is a radical."

Ranma frowned.

"Radical…?"

Haruka stared at her.

Ranma stared back.

"Hmm. Why don't you do homework with me and Michiru tonight? I'll see if we can help you." She said.

Ranma made a face.

"Ehh… I don't know… I'm busy today." She said. "I'll get back to you on that."

"Fair enough. Have you thought about what kind of club you'd like to join? The class rep is going to need an answer soon, I'm sure, since it's mandatory." The blonde said.

"Eh… a club would just waste my time, really…" The teen muttered. '_I don't plan on being here long enough for it to matter… but if I can't figure out what's going on and fix this quickly enough, I guess karate…_' She sighed as the teacher, Hatanaka, walked into the room with another hideous rug-suit and his briefcase, and she grudgingly joined the other students in standing up. '_At least today is a half day.'_

"Good morning, students," The man said after they did the customary bowing and were reseated. "It might seem a bit strange, but we have another new student joining us today." He said. The students perked up at this, and he looked over at the door and made a beckoning gesture, and a pink-haired girl with twin ponytails walked into the room.

Ranma noticed surprise on Haruka's face when she saw the girl.

"This is Tsukino Usagi," The man continued with a smile. "She's just moved in from the Chuo ward, and is staying with family members in town. Tsukino-san, is there anything you would like to say?" The man asked.

She looked the class over, and for a moment, looked surprised, but quickly hid it. Finally, she spoke.

"Nice to meet you."

Hatanaka blinked, then cleared his throat.

"Yes, well… please, sit down behind Fujibayashi-kun." The man said, indicating Ranma.

Ranma blinked, glancing back behind herself.

'_Wait a sec, wasn't there someone here yesterday?'_ She thought with a frown. '_Huh. Whatever._'

The girl walked over to the seat and a small pill jar dropped out of her bag. Ranma looked down at it and raised an eyebrow.

'_Fast-acting, instant relief laxatives?'_

Ranma looked at the new girl incredulously, but quickly averted her eyes and coughed in an attempt to hide her sniggering.

"Huh?" The pink haired girl blinked and looked down at the jar. "Oh, I still had those?" She muttered, kneeling down to pick it up.She replaced it, then sat down behind Ranma and dropped her book bag, yawned, and reclined, looking rather bored.

Ranma noticed Haruka glancing at the new girl several times before and after the teacher started his morning spiel and shook her head with an amused smile.

'_Does she eye all the new kids like that?'_

-x-_**Kenichi**_-x

Kenichi opened his eyes suddenly and blinked several times. He narrowed his eyes in confusion at his surroundings, and then the previous day came back to him. He sat up and looked out the window in his room, noting with displeasure that the sun was up and in the sky already. He glanced at the clock and sighed when he saw that it read seven fifteen.

He got up and out of bed and looked down at his unfinished homework with a bit of doubt, then sighed and started getting ready for school. When he made his way to the dining room set for three, his parents looked at him in surprise again, and he sighed.

"Where's Honoka?" He asked.

His mother and father looked at each other, then at him.

"She goes out an hour early to be with your classmate, remember? The cute martial arts instructor," His father said with a grin. "Thinking maybe you should join them?"

"What do you mean, cute?" Saori frowned at her husband, who chuckled and cringed away from her.

"Maybe." Kenichi said, grabbing his breakfast. He didn't notice the shocked stares it got him, and continued on. "I've been thinking about it." With that, he turned and started out the door. "I'm going now. See you later!"

Saori looked over at her husband with an urgent look.

"See? I told you, he's been acting strange," She said. "It was worse last night, he was screaming about something…"

"No! Our poor son's going insane!"

-x-x-x-

Kenichi walked towards school with a notable limp.

"I think I overdid it…" The teen muttered as he stopped to lean against a wall near the entrance, where others were pouring into the campus. He'd gotten used to working himself to near death (and beyond), but without Ma Kensei's herbal Chinese potions, there would be no way to bring him back from the brink here. He shook his head and sighed, then started walking towards school again.

"Man, this is just so far beyond bizarre," Kenichi muttered. "What's going on here? It's too long and life-like to be a dream…" His eyes widened and he looked down at the ground in shock as he suddenly realized what it was. "Of course! How could I not see it earlier!" He held his head in his hands. '_The masters' dangerous training has obviously gotten to an all-time high, and with all the brain damage…_'

"I'm in a coma!"

The students within hearing range all looked at him.

"Er…" Kenichi blinked and started looking around. "N-not that it matters, since I'm in a coma, but maybe I shouldn't have said that so loud…" He shook his head. '_Still, it's supposed to be just like a dream, isn't it?_ _I think my brain is the only one in the world that remembers what pain feels like so accurately that I could dream it up._' He sighed.

When he finally made it to the school yard, it was almost empty of students. The few that remained were hurriedly making their way into the building, or alternatively, away from it. Kenichi glanced at the delinquents skipping class and felt a shudder; after years of being beaten down at their hands he was still unable to shake off the fear that they caused within him, despite having worked to become Ryozanpaku's number one disciple.

And especially now, considering he was back to square one in the martial arts department…

Finally, he saw a girl, a bit shorter than the rest, and wearing the wrong uniform, standing in the middle of the campus and looking about as if searching for something. As he got closer to the buildings, she glanced over in his direction and he blinked.

It was Kushinada Chikage.

Kenichi stopped for a moment and stared at her.

'_Huh, wonder what Chikage-chan's doing outside of class… wait, the whole uniform is wrong. She doesn't come to this school?'_ He muttered, before walking towards her. She simply stared at him as he got near. "Hey, Chikage-chan!" He called out, waving, before slowing down to a stop a few feet away from her. '_Wait a minute, this probably isn't the one I know, is it…' _

He coughed.

"Erm…" He looked at her nervously as she gave him that familiar blank stare.

"Band-aid."

He blinked.

'_Well, at least that's accurate.'_

"Um, yeah..?" He asked.

She nodded, then beckoned him.

"Come."

He blinked as she turned around and started walking away, as if expecting him to follow.

"Huh? But class…"

She turned her head slightly and he could see the corner of her eye.

"_**Come**__."_

The girl started walking again, and Kenichi frowned, but followed her without any further protest. She led him over to the storage shed he often hid in when he was being chased or otherwise avoiding someone, and opened the door, then walked in. He followed and shut the door behind himself.

She turned around and faced him, and he blinked, staring at her.

"You remember." She said.

He blinked.

"Huh?"

"You remember how things should be," She clarified. "Your body does not remember, but your mind does. Like me."

He frowned.

"Wait, you mean… you remember too?"

She nodded.

"You are the first other that I have encountered as well."

He frowned.

"Wait a minute… if you remember too, then… I'm not the only one!" He cheered and started dancing. "That's great! I'm not crazy! Yes!"

"This is no time for celebration."

He stopped cheering and looked down at her.

"Well, yeah, I guess… if I'm not _crazy,_ then it really is a coma…"

She frowned.

"I cannot confirm or deny that postulation… and though it seems the most likely conclusion, I have been far too lucid for this to be a dream, or anything like it."

"You? I mean _me_, _I'm_ in a coma," Kenichi said, indicating himself. "And… well, I thought so too, but…" He shrugged. "I've never _been_ in one before, so… I wouldn't know, really."

She nodded.

"Of course, you would consider this to be your own experience…" She muttered. "Hmm… the next most likely conclusion is that I am experiencing severe hallucinations…" She mumbled something else and shook her head, and he frowned. "…but you are an anomaly, which is not consistent with my understanding of that phenomenon…"

"Um, Chikage-chan?" He blinked. "Don't tell me you think _you're_ the one who's… experiencing this weird world?" He asked.

She nodded.

"In this situation, both of us would naturally assume such. 'I know, therefore I am' – lending each of us to the supposition that we are real, rather than the possibility that we are a figment of someone else's imagination."

He frowned.

"Huh… I think I read something like that a while back…"

She nodded again.

"Your room is filled with books. You very well may have," She said.

"Huh?" He blinked. "How did you…"

"Regardless," She interrupted, "We are in this together. We must figure out how to right this situation, whether it is some mental affliction of either of ours, or not."

He nodded.

"Yeah, you're right," He said, sitting down. "But, I've got no idea how to approach this."

"I too have no experience in dealing with such a phenomenon," She agreed, joining him on the ground in seiza. "If my suspicions are correct, then your masters, the group collectively known as Ryozanpaku, are either missing or replaced, correct?"

He nodded.

"They're all gone." He frowned. "Wait, does that mean… Yami, and YOMI… are they also..?"

She shook her head.

"From what little information I have been able to gleam, the organizations exist, but they are restructured. I have not been able to investigate the matter in detail, however. It would be dangerous and foolish to suddenly approach such people with the information that an insider should have, especially if that information is incorrect in some places."

He blinked.

"Yeah, that's true… they might…" He trailed off, frowning.

"That leaves you as my only possible source of information, and you are as clueless as I am." She lowered her gaze to the ground. "The situation is dire. I am willing to put our differences as YOMI and Katsujinken aside to work with you."

Kenichi shrugged and rubbed his eyes, then looked up at her. He was going to have to start wearing those damned _glasses, _wasn't he?

"Well, okay, but… Chikage-chan, What should we do?"

"We must investigate this matter." Her eyes got a far-away look in them. "First, we will find out just how far reaching these changes are. World history itself may be different. The layout of the city has also changed, and it would help to know what is consistent with our current knowledge. Furthermore, we may not be alone." She said. "As this meeting shows, there may well be other individuals who remember how things should be, and they might know more about the situation."

He nodded.

"Okay… Um, I guess I can, uh, look around town," He said. "But, how are we supposed to fix this? I mean, if this _isn't _a coma or something… then…"

The two sat there in silence for a moment, and he sighed.

"Hey Chikage-chan," He started, "You remember how to fight, right?"

She nodded.

"I remember the forms my master taught me, but my body… does not. I have begun remedial training, however."

"Yeah, I thought so…" He looked down at himself. "I don't have the money to buy any real training gear… My allowance is terrible, and I don't have a job or anything… There's no way I can really train the way I did with the masters." He said with a sigh.

"I too have experienced trouble in this matter. However, I should point out that the first masters of our respective arts did not possess such 'training gear'. They made use of the world around them. If we are truly dedicated, then we must do the same."

He frowned.

"You mean like training in the mountains? I've done that a _few_ times, but…"

She nodded.

"If that is where you must do it, then, by all means. But there are ways to do it in an urban setting as well," She said. "You will have to be creative."

He nodded.

"Yeah, you're right. Thanks for the advice," He said. "I'll figure something out."

She nodded in return and stood up.

"In the meantime, we must tend to worldly matters, as unnecessary as it may seem." She said.

"Huh?" He blinked. "Oh crap, _class!_" The youth jumped up to his feet as well. "Um, we'll have to get in touch later, Chikage-chan! Bye!"

With that he turned and ran out of the shed at top speed.

-x-x-x-

Kenichi panted as he walked into the classroom, covered with sweat. The rest of the students were looking at him again and ignored them as he walked over to the desk in front of Miu. She was looking out at the clouds again, and though she noticed him out of the corner of her eye, she went back to looking outside. Feeling a bit discouraged by her inattention, he sat down lamely in the desk in front of her and sighed.

Just then, the classroom door slammed open, and everyone looked over at it. Standing there was none other than…

Kenichi gawked.

"N, Niijima!"

The towering pillar of muscle and attitude looked over him and snarled. He whipped an expensive pair of sunglasses off of his face and started walking into the room straight towards Kenichi with an intimidating gait. Suddenly feeling the weight of the other teen's glare, Kenichi shrank in on himself in fear despite himself. This _thing_ before him was not Haruo Niijima. It was a deadly monster, and he could feel that it wanted to devour his soul right then and there.

"So Weak-Legs Keiichi decided to show up to school on time once, huh? Heh, even I didn't predict that." The demon sneered as he neared Kenichi, and Kenichi blinked. It had been so long since people had called him weak-legs Kenichi, it felt _strange_ hearing it again. Kenichi just stared in shock as the thuggish looking Niijima got closer to him.

Then frowned as he realized something.

"Um… My name is Kenichi," He said, pointing at himself.

Niijima snarled.

"Trash! Who said you could talk!" In a blur Kenichi felt himself hauled up into the air. "You've sullied my ears with your disgusting voice, you piece of scummy garbage from the bottom of the dumpster!"

Kenichi stared at Niijima with a blank expression on his face. He opened his mouth to respond, but the girl sitting behind him beat him to it.

"Is that really necessary?"

Both boys turned to look at Miu, who was staring at them. Kenichi's eyes widened as he noticed a silent anger in the girl's eyes. It was alien and foreign on her… it reminded him of what he'd seen in the eyes of a YOMI or Ragnorak fighter before taking them on.

"Che. You stay out of this, Fuurinji," The alien snorted. "I'll deal with you later."

Suddenly, a piece of chalk hit Kenichi in the face, and he winced.

"Ouch!" He looked up at the door to the class, and the teacher was standing there, watching them with a frown.

"Hmph! Niijima-kun! I hope you don't intend to start a fight right before my eyes!"

"Um, sensei, you missed him," Kenichi muttered weakly.

Niijima just snorted and dropped Kenichi, then sat down where Kenichi had been.

"Wait, hey, I was sitting there!" Kenichi said, getting up to his feet.

"Beat it!" Niijima said, before grinning and folding his hands over the desk. "Unless you're trying to start a fight?"

Kenichi froze and took a step back, grimacing.

'_If I keep trying, it might look like I was trying to start something… but I was clearly sitting there first!_' He frowned and looked over at the teacher, who was walking towards the front of the class. "Damn it…" He sighed and gathered his materials before walking off to find another empty seat. "Ugh…"

-x-x-x-

At lunch Kenichi looked for Miu only to see that she had disappeared right away, much like the day before. Spotting Niijima instead, the other teen noticed him and smirked, then made a throat-slitting motion, which sent a chill down the boy's spine.

Suddenly the sound of heavy footsteps in the hallway echoed into the classroom, getting closer until the door slammed open, revealing a panting Kisara Nanjou.

Kenichi blinked as the girl walked into the room.

"H-have you guys seen Kenichi-kun today?" She asked.

He blinked and raised up a hand.

"Uh, Kisara-san—"

She immediately whipped her head over to him at a blurring speed.

'_Is her spine okay after that?_' He shrank back below her gaze.

"Ken-kun!" She ran over to him. "Are you okay? What _happened_ yesterday!"

He blinked.

"Yesterday?"

She nodded.

"Last night! You weren't on _Tales of Final Star Online Two: The Silver Revenant Feathers of Celestia!" _

The whole room gasped.

"The team waited for hours! We were going to call you but Tanimoto-kun kept saying 'He'll show up in a few seconds!' We got worried when you never did!"

Kenichi blinked.

"Wait a minute. Tanimoto plays this game too?"

Kisara went white as sheet.

"You… did you hit your head or something!" She started to inspect his body. "I knew it! Something happened!"

"Um… uh… actually, I'm fine… then again, the whole coma thing…" He muttered the last part.

"Hah!" They both stopped and looked over at the source of the sharp laughter. Niijima was standing up from his desk. "That kid misses one session of their little internet game and it makes this sort of commotion! How pathetic! I can't believe this place!" He shook his head. The teen put a foot on the window sill that Miu had been sitting by and shifted his weight onto it. "You pigs disgust me. I'm outta here!" With that he turned and leapt out of the window, and Kenichi's eyes widened in shock.

"Hmph! Fine! Stupid jock! And a show-off at that!" Kisara turned around to look at Kenichi with a worried look on her face. "Anyway, Kenichi-kun! What happened yesterday? Did you slip and fall down in the shower and hit your head or something?"

Kenichi winced at her question.

"No way! Even I'm not that clumsy!" He said, pushing Kisara away. "I uh, I just totally forgot that we had planned that session!"

Kisara blinked, and then her eyes rapidly widened as she pulled away from him.

"You really did hit your head, didn't you!" She asked, pointing at him.

Kenichi frowned.

"What are you talking about? I'm just fine, Kisara-san!"

"How can you say that, when you're asking about a 'planned session'?" She stood up and pointed at him. "We grind every night! It's the only reason every member of our party is in the top ten high scores! Because we devote more time to it than we do breathing!" By the time she had finished her brief speech, she was clenching her fist and making a pose.

Kenichi grimaced and shrank down in his chair from the bizarre sight.

"Why do you say that so _proudly_!"

Kisara blinked and looked down at him, then blushed and covered her face with a hand.

"Er… Did I say that out loud?"

Kenichi sighed.

"Um… Kisara-san… I'm fine." He sighed and straightened himself in his chair. "Listen, about last night… I was thinking about a lot of things," He said. "I guess I lost track of time and forgot to even turn the computer on."

Kisara suddenly took a few steps back as if she had been physically struck.

"_Forgot to turn on your computer!_" Her face went pale and she suddenly turned and started running for the door, screaming. "_He's possessed!_"

Kenichi blinked as she ran off down the hall, screaming.

"Oh boy… something tells me this isn't going to be very easily dealt with…" He sighed and looked down at his untouched food. The encounter with Chikage was still fresh in his mind; actually, he hadn't been able to focus on anything else that day. He was happy that there was at least _someone _out there suffering with him, but honestly would have preferred it to have been Miu.

It was good luck that the weird delinquent-Niijima was gone for now, but without anyone… _normal_ to talk to, he was finding it hard to get on in the day. He just didn't have _anything_ in common with the people in his class – they all remembered things differently than he did, and he was never really the talkative sort anyway, so conversation wasn't happening. Really, the only person he _wanted_ to talk to always mysteriously disappeared during lunch, and the only person that wanted to talk to _him_…

"Shirahama Kenichi!"

He sighed as he turned to look at the door to the classroom, where Kisara stood, pointing at him. In her other hand she held a torn scrap of notebook paper that was done up like some sort of Shinto ward or some such.

'_Oh brother,' _He sighed and looked back down at his lunch and continued eating.

"I will release the demons inside of you! Evil spirits, begone!" She cried out, striking a pose and then throwing the paper at him. "Hyaaa!"

It flew several centimeters before abruptly flying off course and slowly floating down to the ground.

The rest of the students in the room all went back to minding their own business and Kenichi sighed.

"Kenichi-kun?"

The young would-be martial artist looked up at the sound of a new, yet familiar voice. There at the door stood none other than Tanimoto Natsu.

With a bowl-cut and glasses.

Kenichi sputtered.

"T…_Tanimoto-kun_?" He muttered, near speechless as the other teen walked into the room. "Um… hi?" He said weakly, unsure of what to expect from the newcomer.

"Hey," the blond said, kneeling down next to him. "You're not wearing your glasses today. Did something happen to them?" The young man asked.

"No, not really," Kenichi said. '_Hm, at least he's a normal person, if not himself…'_

"Oh? Well, alright then," The other teen said, standing up. "Well, you _seem_ okay…"

"What are you talking about?" Kisara demanded from behind him. "He's gone nuts! This is the second day in a row he didn't wear his glasses, and he's missed a quest and two grinding sessions now!" She looked down at Kenichi and frowned. "Do you _know_ just how much EXP points you've lost these past couple of days?"

"Umm… no?" Kenichi muttered, shrinking back from her.

"You idiot!" The auburn-haired girl stamped her feet. "You fell out of the _top ten_! You're _way_ behind!"

He sighed and looked over at Tanimoto.

"Er, yeah… umm… sorry about that… it was, uh, you see, something came up, and… I didn't have time?"

Tanimoto frowned.

"I thought as much. It must be pretty _urgent_ that you can't even leave us a message about it when you're so calmly eating your lunch here." he said.

Kenichi chuckled nervously.

"Eheheh… um, yeah… I've been kinda… preoccupied…" He muttered weakly. "Sorry?"

The other teen just sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

"It's okay, but if you could just let us _know_ about these things before hand, that'd be really nice." He said. "But you're going to be on _tonight_, right?"

Kenichi frowned.

"Um, actually… you see… I uh…"

The other two teens watched as he started to twiddle his thumbs.

"Hmm… how do I put this…" He turned and looked Tanimoto square in the eyes. "I was thinking about quitting."

The other two teens stared at him for a long moment and he began to sweat nervously under their intense gaze…

Until Kisara suddenly fainted.

"_What?"_

'_So much for normal,' _Kenichi thought as he stared down at the downed girl while Tanimoto slammed his hands in the young man's desk and got in his face.

"_Why?_" The blond demanded.

"Is she okay like that?" Kenichi asked, pointing down at Kisara.

"Don't dodge the question!" Tanimoto snapped.

"W-well, actually, I was just thinking of taking up martial arts-"

"Did someone threaten your life! Was it that cur, Niijima? It _was_, wasn't it!"

"Um, no-" Kenichi blinked, remembering the threatening gesture from earlier. "Well, possibly-"

"Damn you, Niijima!" Natsu balled his fist and slammed it into the table, but it didn't do much more than make a soft meaty thud, which, despite the fact that he knew this wasn't _his_ Tanimoto, surprised Kenichi quite a bit.

"Hey, um, Tanimoto-kun?" Kenichi said, nervously looking around the room and seeing all creeped out looks they were getting, "Maybe you shouldn't talk so loud?"

The blond muttered a curse and looked around.

"You're right, you never know where that bastard's ears are…" He mumbled.

"They are fairly long," Kenichi pointed out. "But actually, he's not involved. I just thought it would be nice to change a bit is all." Kenichi said.

Natsu frowned and gave him a look of clear disbelief.

"…_something_ brought this on." The blond said. "What is it?"

"Welllll… I thought I'd try and reach level ninety-nine in _real life_, so I'm gonna take Karate and some other stuff…" Kenichi said with a sheepish grin as he rubbed the back of his head. '_Man, I hope they buy that…'_

The other teen gave him a half-lidded stare, then shook his head and rubbed his face with one hand.

"And let me guess – you got some kind of self-help book to help you through it?"

"Well… err…"

Natsu sighed.

"_Lame. _Man, I swear, every few months you get into something absolutely _ridiculous_._" _The blond knelt down and grabbed Kisara by the shirt. "Well, whatever. Fine. When you're done, we'll have a week-long grind-fest or something and everything will be back to normal." He shook the auburn-haired girl awake. "Come on Valkyrie, let's go."

Kenichi froze as the girl responded, seeming to awaken.

"What did you just call her?" He asked.

Natsu blinked and stared at him.

"Um… Valkyrie?"

Kenichi frowned.

"Ragnorak?" he asked.

The blond frowned.

"What? Um, no, her player name." He said. "You sure you're okay man?"

Kenichi blinked.

"Uh, yeah," He said quickly. "I just thought… forget it, okay?"

Natsu shook his head and stood up, Kisara joining him.

"Well, we're gonna go grind until class starts." Tanimoto turned around and started walking to the door to the classroom. "C'mon, Valkyrie… _he'll_ be back soon. _Just watch_."

"Right…" Kisara muttered as she followed right behind. She glanced back at him with a look of concern on her face but kept going.

He turned his attention back to his lunch and sighed.

'_Well, somehow, at least that's dealt with… though I doubt it'll last forever…' _

-x-_**Usagi**_-x-

Usagi groaned as she stepped out of the bathroom and into a crowded hallway. A glance at a nearby clock told her that it was already time for lunch, and there was only one more class left after it. With a sigh she hung her head and slowly walked to her classroom. The pain in her gut had subsided mostly and she was finally, as far as she could _**tell**_… empty.

When she made it to the classroom, Ami and Minako were waiting at the entrance with concerned looks on their faces.

"Usagi-chan, are you sick or something?" The girl who was sometimes known as Sailor Mercury looked at her friend intently and held up the other girl's lunch. "You've been running to the bathroom all morning." Usagi accepted it and groaned.

"I'm not sure _what_ it is…" The blonde whined as she turned and started walking towards the door to the hallway. "I'm just glad school is just about over for the week…"

"Well, don't get too relaxed," Ami said. "Remember those strange energy readings from yesterday?"

Usagi frowned as they entered the stairwell and started going down.

"Did something happen?"

The blue haired girl nodded.

"I received a message from…" She quickly looked around, then continued. "…Sailor Neptune."

Both Usagi and Minako blinked.

"What? Really?" The latter blonde asked.

Ami nodded.

"Which, of course, is highly unusual," She said. "You know how those two are."

"Yeah, I thought they preferred to work alone?" Minako said with a frown.

"Right. Anyway, she wanted me to investigate something she found in Nerima with the Mercury Computer."

Usagi made a face.

"What? A different ward?"

Ami nodded.

"She says a new classmate of hers seems to be involved in something troublesome. She lead both her and Uranus to one of the energy signals I picked up yesterday, claiming a martial arts dojo of some sort would be there." Ami said. "It wasn't there at first, but when they approached the area, she thinks they were sucked into some sort of modified, overlaying space, where there _was_ a dojo, but they were quickly sent back."

Minako frowned.

"Is the classmate dangerous?"

Ami shook her head as they reached the bottom stairs and continued into another hallway.

"We don't know. But she showed up the same day the new energy signals appeared and lead them right to one, so I'm guessing she's involved. Neptune says the girl claimed to have been kidnapped and given a false identity by an unknown party, but when they tried to take her to where she supposedly actually lived – this phantom dojo of hers - and several other places, they found other buildings and people there instead. At first, she and Haruka thought it might be a joke, but after they went to Nerima, she thought there might actually be something to the story."

Usagi frowned.

"That's… odd, to say the least…" She said. "Oh boy… I hope this doesn't turn into some new big thing…"

"Well, I agreed to meet with this girl," Ami said. "If there is something going on, then she may be able to help us figure it out."

"When are we gonna meet her then?" Minako asked.

"Tomorrow's our best bet," Ami said. "Technically, I'm the only one that has to be there, but I'd rather everyone was there to back me up in case things get serious."

Minako and Usagi nodded.

"We can do tomorrow," the pony-tailed haired girl said. "Right, Minako-chan?"

"Yeah. We'll be there." Minako said. "Are we going to Nerima today or what?"

Ami nodded.

"If everyone is free, I'd like to," She said. "It is a pressing matter."

-x-_**Ranma**_-x-

In a hidden corner of the school's campus, behind the main building, where trees and grass were plentiful, Ranma moved. Her body flowed softly through a series of forms and strikes - swiftly, seamlessly, with both grace, and poise. And then she tripped.

Despite herself, the redhead screamed as she fell towards the grass, her arms rushing up to absorb the brunt of the fall. She winced on hitting the ground and bit her lip. She'd fallen awkwardly and hit her elbow the wrong way. She turned her body and sat up as the pain echoed throughout her arm, glaring at the offending appendage with disappointment.

"Really? Is that really all it takes?" She muttered. She sighed and shook her head. '_As out of shape as I am… I'm gonna have to start drilling this stupid body of mine with the most __**basic**__ of basics… That's gonna take __**weeks**__!' _She growled, but there was no way around it. Before she could even perform the easiest of kata, she would have to get her body used to the movements and establish reflexes, speed, and strength. Reflexes alone would take weeks, but the journey of improving strength and speed was one without end to a martial artist of her caliber, and she was going to have to start from _scratch_.

As she started to consider what basic forms to practice, she felt a tingling in her awareness – that nagging sort of feeling that one was being watched – and without really thinking, turned around and looked up. There was a tree with thick branches above her, and she could not clearly see through it, but that familiar feeling remained. She closed her eyes and expanded her awareness to the ambient chi that reverberated throughout the area – from the grass beneath her, the many insects crawling on and through the dirt, the energy of the earth itself, and finally the tree, whose massive life-force brimmed with healthy energy – except for that spot of unmistakably malevolent energy in the center of the branches.

She opened her eyes and stood up. With her mind in that state, she could _see_ the pulse of life clinging to those objects in the form of dim auras, both sheathed around them like a second skin and bleeding off in every direction in steady waves.

"You again?" She demanded, seeing and yet not seeing the youkai she'd met the day before. The branches hid his body from sight, but his aura shone through clearly, a black outline against the green of the tree. "What do you want?"

He snorted and crossed his arms, but did not answer, and she frowned.

"You're the one behind this whole body switching thing, aren't you?" She growled, clenching her fists. "Well? Tell me!"

"No. I'm not."

She blinked.

"Huh?" She frowned, then scratched her head. "Then what the hell are you stalking me for?"

"That is my business." He said simply.

She frowned.

"I think I have a right to know," She said.

"Then you are delusional. Or stupid. Probably both."

She growled again.

"Listen, pal… you're really starting to piss me off!"

He snickered.

"Even ignoring your penchant for clichés, considering your performance just a few seconds ago, you're more likely to hurt yourself than me."

She narrowed her eyes.

"Oh yeah?" The would-be martial artist closed her eyes and focused on finding her center.

A moment later, anyone watching the scene would have seen her seem to disappear. Ranma made her way to and climbed up the tree where the youkai was watching and positioned herself behind him. When she reached him, she looked down at him in surprise; he was a lot shorter than she'd expected. Almost a whole head shorter than she was, and with a thin frame to boot. He was wearing the same all black ensemble from before – a black trench coat, black pants, and combat boots, while his hair was mess of unruly black spikes, a white streak near the front and top. As she crept up behind him, she studied his youki closely. It was… malevolent, but somehow… _calm…_ it seemed to lack the insatiable hunger for violence that most youkai radiated-

Suddenly, all instinct screamed for her to move, and she did, falling roughly to the side and almost off of the tree. She quickly compensated and used her momentum to swing her body down, underneath the branch, and sling herself back up. She was momentarily surprised to see his back again, as he was now facing the other direction and holding a sword, its blade in the space where her head had been only seconds before.

"Hn…" The youkai made an amused sound and subtly looked around, the only moving part of his body being his eyes. Ranma frowned, taking a step back from him. "Oh?" The demon turned to look at her. A spot under the bandana tied around his forehead started to glow pink in the shape of an oval. "Didn't anyone ever teach you not to try and sneak up on dangerous people, little girl?"

'_It doesn't work on demons?'_ She thought with a frown. '_No… it seemed to work for a bit… he saw through it somehow. I'll have to work on that.' _

Ranma crossed her arms.

"First off, I'm not a girl," She said. "Second," She narrowed her eyes. "_You're_ stalking _me_. Doesn't that make you a _hypocrite_?"

He chuckled.

"You don't have the ability to threaten me. I have no reason to explain myself to _you_."

"Listen pal, you're gonna tell me just what's going on here, _and_ you're gonna help me fix it." She declared. The youkai snorted and said nothing, instead letting an amused expression appear on his face, and Ranma scowled and balled up her fists. "You think you're that much better than me, huh? Fine, let's see what's so great about you!"

She leapt at him with a kick, but he simply raised an eyebrow and bent slightly to the side, letting her fly over him. Ranma quickly reached out and grabbed hold of a tree branch to arrest her momentum and twisted her body, swinging her foot down at him. He quickly twisted out of the way and slammed his elbow in her thigh as it passed, eliciting a pained hiss from the red head. She brought her legs up to the branch she was holding onto and pushed off of it, then twisted in the air and flew at him with a punch ready.

The youkai caught her fist when she swung, then slammed his own into her nose, and Ranma cried out in pain and surprise as she fell down from the tree to the ground. She recovered from the shock quickly enough to turn in the air and land on her hands, using her chi to reinforce her arm strength and absorb the shock. She grunted upon landing as pain shot up through her arms, and knew that if it hadn't been for the control she had, both of them would have been broken by the fall.

'_Damn it!' _She thought, sitting up and glaring at the youkai in the tree.

"Pathetic, but no less than I expected." The youkai snorted.

She growled. '_If it wasn't for this stupid body..!' _Ranma frowned as she felt something wet on her face and reached up. She brought her hand away and her frowned at the blood that was on it. She made a frustrated sound and wiped it off on her shirt, then looked over at the demon with her fists clenched. "I'm gonna kick your ass." She said. "Just watch!"

He snorted.

"I don't think you'll live long enough to do that." He said, turning around. Without another word, he leapt out of the tree and faded from sight.

She let out a roar of frustration and slammed her fists down into the ground. Blood gathered on her chin and dripped down onto the grass, and remembering her situation, she reached up and pinched her nose.

'_Even if I train my body, I'll have a glass jaw if I don't find a good sparring partner… and drilling the forms can only take you so far.' _She realized. '_Maybe I should find a dojo… but then again, they'll want me to focus on learning their forms, and things might get complicated…_' Ranma sighed and sat down, making sure to keep her nose held tight. '_Maybe the karate club..? Then again, most Karate clubs don't have people at the level I'd need. Man, it looks like Ryouga might be my only hope.'_

_-x-__**Usagi-**__x__**-**_

Usagi Tsukino looked down at her packed lunch with a sigh. Having learned from the most brilliant minds the entire solar system had to offer for most of her life kind of set the bar pretty high already, but not only was she now going to a _common _school, but she was in the _past!_ She really couldn't understand what her mother was thinking, sending her back then… _now_. The senshi and her father had all surprisingly agreed with the idea, though, so there had to be _something _to it that she just wouldn't have access to in her home time and situation.

One thing was for sure; she'd gotten used to being a royal – crown princess, no less - what with all of the celebrity and privileges it came with, but it was definitely good to take a break from all of _that_.

"Tsukino Usagi, huh?"

The pink haired pony-tailed girl looked up, hearing the familiar, yet slightly different voice. Tenou Haruka was looking back at her from her own chair with an eyebrow raised. She noticed that the seat ahead of her was empty, but there had been a girl with a stylish red pigtail sitting there earlier.

"You know, you have the same name and a similar hairstyle as a girl I know."

The girl who was once known as Chibi-Usa looked over at the boyish blonde with a grin.

"Yup."

Haruka made a face that indicated she was confused, and Chibi-Usa laughed lightly.

"I don't get it." The blonde admitted. "You're not her, are you? I'm pretty sure she was still in middle school."

"That's right." Usagi said.

"And I'm going to go ahead and assume you know who I'm talking about." Haruka said.

"I live with her." The pink haired girl admitted.

Haruka frowned.

"Who are you?"

"Hm? I'm Tsukino Usagi."

"You know what I mean." The other girl said with a frown.

"Why don't you figure it out? You're good at that." Usagi said with a smirk.

"Hmph." The blonde narrowed her eyes. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about Ranma, would you?" The blonde asked.

"Ranma?" Chibi-Usa asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes or no?"

The pink haired girl shrugged.

"Depends."

Haruka frowned.

"Why don't you give me a straightforward answer?"

Chibi-Usa gestured with her chin over towards the door, where a red-haired pig-tailed girl stood. Haruka blinked, and Ranma walked over to her desk and sat down with a frustrated sigh. The blonde frowned upon noticing a spot of blood on the other girl's shirt, and opened her mouth to speak, but the red-head beat her to it.

"Hey, Haruka," The girl started. "You ever thought of taking martial arts seriously?"

The blonde blinked as her own question died in her throat.

"I take martial arts seriously," She said with narrowed eyes. "Does this have to do with why there's blood on your shirt?"

The red-head shook her head and held up a hand.

"No, no, I mean _livin'_ it."

Haruka frowned.

"What do you mean?"

The red-head sighed, and Usagi started eating her lunch as the girl went into a spiel.

"Listen. Some people learn martial arts for the sake of a better lifestyle, and some people live for the sake of a better martial arts. Every waking moment is dedicated to honing your skill, and you are willing to do whatever it takes, even if it could be potentially fatal. For _The Art_, no sacrifice is too great, and every increment of improvement is a valuable step on your never-ending journey to perfection, an ideal you acknowledge cannot be reached, but always strived for."

The blonde silently considered it for a moment, and Usagi could tell the other girl was seriously considering it.

'_Hmm…_' The pink haired girl considered it herself as Haruka finally reacted.

"I suppose that would be the next step…" The blonde surmised. "One day, the thrill I get from racing may not be enough. But when I think like that…" Haruka chuckled and shook her head. "I'm… _assuming_ this is related to the blood?"

"Oh, I fell out of a tree." Ranma admitted. "Hit my nose on a branch on the way down. Other than that, fine."

"Fell out of a _tree_?" Haruka frowned. "Are you _sure_ you're fine?"

"Yeah, yeah." Ranma said.

"Hmm. If you say so." The blonde glanced at Usagi as Ranma stretched her arms high over her head. "What brought up your question, anyway?"

"Oh, I'm looking for a sparring partner," Ranma admitted. "I need someone who can dedicate as much time as I'm planning to. It's impossible to improve yourself if you can't identify your own weaknesses, and to do that requires you fight as many different people and styles as possible."

Usagi raised an eyebrow.

"You're a martial artist?" She asked, interest leaking into her voice. "You don't strike me as one."

Ranma turned to look at her.

"Yeah, but I'm… _out of practice_ for reasons that are beyond my control. That all stops today, though." She said.

The pink haired girl sat back and regarded her. After a moment, she shrugged and went back to eating. Ranma and Haruka were silent as the blonde contemplated the other girl's words, then turned to face her.

"I think I'll pass on that for now," The blonde said. "But one day, I might take you up on it."

Ranma nodded once, then turned away.

"I never really thought about it, but oyaji's training trip helped me out in ways I'd never considered…" She said with a sigh. "Whatever. I'll figure somethin' out."

Usagi snuck a glance at the redhead.

'_Could that be it? Hmm… Naahhh…'_

-x-x-x-

When the bell rang, Usagi stood up and gathered her bag with a sigh, as she headed to the door.

"_Finally,_" She muttered with a sigh.

When she reached the door, though, she was openly surprised to see one Setsuna Meiou standing right outside, looking at her with a smile.

"How was your first day?" The woman asked as she stepped to the side to let other students file out.

"Puu!" She hugged the older woman, then stood back and looked up at her. "Why are you here? I thought you were…"

The woman held up a finger to mouth and winked.

"Let's just say your mother saw fit to give me another… extended vacation. Besides, technically I _am_ there. _And_ here. So. Your day?"

The pink haired girl shrugged. If it was okay, then it was okay, and she wasn't going to complain.

"_Boring. _Everything they're teaching, I learned years ago!"

The green haired woman sighed.

"Well, you're not here for the academics."

The pink haired girl frowned.

"Then why _am_ I here?"

"You know I can't tell you that."

"Bah. Useless!"

The Senshi of Pluto chuckled.

"Be that as it may…" She separated from the teen.

"S…Setsuna?"

The two of them turned to look at the door, where Michiru, Ranma, and Haruka were standing, looking at them.

"You… you're…"

Ranma looked from the green haired woman to Haruka, who was apparently struggling to put her thoughts together verbally, and Michiru spoke up.

"You're looking well," The aquamarine haired girl said with a smile. "Considering the last time we saw you."

Setsuna gave a small smile of her own back to the other three.

"I've been better, I assure you. Miss Fujibayashi, have you decided on which club you'd like to join?"

Ranma blinked as Michiru and Setsuna looked at her, then shrugged.

"Is there a go home early club? If not, I guess karate," she said with a sigh.

"Then karate it is," The woman said with a nod. "I'll inform the student council for you. I'll show you where the karate club meets." She looked down at Usagi. "What about you, have you put any thought into it yet?"

The pink haired girl blinked, then shook her head.

"No, I've been trying to figure this stupid situation out all day," She said with a sigh.

Setsuna chuckled.

"You shouldn't worry about it. Here, clubs are starting soon, so why don't I take Miss Fujibayashi to the Karate club, and we can talk about it after." She looked down at Haruka and Michiru. "Miss Kaiou, Miss Tenou, I'll contact you when necessary. Until then, you should get to your clubs." The two teens nodded and turned to leave, and she turned and started walking. "Miss Tsukino, Miss Fujibayashi, please come this way."

-x-_**Kenichi**_-x-

When school was out, Kenichi was only mildly surprised to see Chikage waiting for him outside.

"Hey, Chikage-chan." He said with a wave as he walked over to her. "Did you figure anything new out?"

She shook her head.

"I was unable to make effective use of my time during school," She admitted, grabbing him by the wrist and took off running. "Come quickly, we must begin the investigation."

"Huh? Hey, hey, I can walk on my own, you know!"

-x-x-x-

A moment later, the two of them were panting and sweating, and walking at a more sedate pace.

"Remind me not to do that again." Chikage said, stopping to lean against a light pole. "I do not have nearly as much stamina as I am used to…"

"Hey Chikage-chan," Kenichi said, stopping to sit down on the sidewalk. "Don't do that again."

"That is not what I meant…" She said, joining him on the ground.

"Where are we going, anyway?" He asked, looking down at her.

"Diner."

He blinked and looked over at her.

"A diner?"

She nodded and reached into her bookbag, then retrieved a thousand yen note and held it up to him with a look of wonderment on her face.

"I received this from my… foster parents."

He blinked and looked at her.

"What are you getting at a diner with just that?" He asked.

"Ice cream." She said with a fierce nod.

"Um, Chikage-chan," Kenichi said with a smile, "You can just go to an ice cream parlor… I'm sure there's one nearby." He said.

She looked at him with confusion.

"There is a place that deals exclusively in _ice cream_?" She asked.

"Yes," He said with a smile.

She grabbed him by the shirt with both hands and pulled him until they were face to face.

"Why did you not tell me this sooner? You will take me there at once!"

He shrank back at the fierce look in her eyes.

"U-um, sure, just calm down…"

-x-x-x-

"Well, at least little things like this are still the same," Kenichi said with a happy sigh as he sat down at a table.

Chikage set down a platter with a veritable mountain of scoops of different flavors of ice cream in front of her and stared at it with drool dripping from her mouth and Kenichi chuckled.

"You know, you're supposed to eat it," He said. "Not watch it."

"I am contemplating where to begin…" She muttered. "Hmm…"

He sighed.

"So anyway," He started, leaning back in his chair. "I was thinking, we should probably make a list of the differences we notice between this world and the one we know," He said. "Chikage-chan? What do you…"

The would be martial artist trailed off, noticing how intently she was still squaring off with the mountain of sugar.

'_Well, that's okay. Hmm… I should probably try and find out happened to the other members of the alliance. Kisara-san, Tanimoto-kun and Niijima I've seen, but Takeda, Ukita, Freya, Thor, Sieg and the others are all unaccounted for.' _He reached into his bookbag and retrieved a notepad and pencil, then started listing the names of Ryozanpaku and Shinpaku members, and putting various comments on the ones of the people he knew the status of. '_Sakaki-shishou, is out there somewhere… Apachai-san, Shigure-san and Ba-sensei might be too. If they remember how the world is supposed to be, they might be able to help figure this whole mess out. We just have to find them…' _

He stopped and looked over at Chikage.

"Hey, Chikage-chan… did you try to get in touch with your own master?"

She looked over at him.

"…Yes. I was unable to." She said.

Then she started eating.

He blinked.

'_I guess that's that…'_

-x-_**Ranma**__-x-_

Ranma sighed as she stood before the limousine with a familiar man sitting in the driver's seat.

'_I could leave…'_ She thought, frowning and looking around. '_I could leave, use some pocket change to get supplies, and go on a real training trip without dealing with this bullshit…' _She looked down at the limo and narrowed her eyes. The idea was becoming more attractive by the second. '_If I do that, though, I'll never find out what happened to everyone.' _

She blinked once, then opened the door and sat down inside the limo.

'_I'll wait for one week. If Ryouga doesn't call me, then I'm bookin' it to China after I whip myself back into shape. Maybe I can hang around some small villages or something before I go.' _

"Young miss? Are you okay?"

Ranma looked up at the chauffeur.

"You seem a bit upset."

She sighed.

"Let's just go."

The man stared at her for a moment, then nodded and started driving.

-x-x-x-

Ranma stared out at the city as the limo took her to the mansion. She hadn't done it yet because of various distractions, but she'd made it a habit to learn the layout of any area she was in so she could get from place to place without any hassle. Being able to roof hop made it a lot easier for urban and suburban areas, and back in Nerima, Ranma could be anywhere she wanted to in ten to twenty minutes without ever getting in a vehicle. Now that her body was… lacking, she was starting to fully appreciate the distance from one place to another. When the driver turned into the familiar upscale neighborhood, they passed by a park with extensive gardens and natural scenery, and Ranma mentally noted the location as they started going up the street.

When they pulled into the roundabout before the mansion's main entrance, Ranma opened the door immediately and stepped out, taking her bag with her. She glanced at the girly design and cute knick-knacks with a disgusted frown, but shook her head and turned her attention to her surroundings. The butler was already driving the limousine away asshe started walking along the stone path that split in both directions and lead to the main entrance.

'_You'd think people would have something better to spend their money on,'_ She thought with a frown as she made her way up the stairs and to the two large doors.

When she opened them, she found a maid already waiting for her in the foyer.

"Welcome back, young miss." The woman said with a polite bow.

Ranma blinked.

"Hm? Ah, er, hi."

The woman giggled.

"Dinner will be ready at seven," The maid said. "Is there anything you need at the moment?"

"Nah," Ranma said as she started walking towards the only door in the elaborately decorated room whose other side she was familiar with. "I'm gonna be going out for a walk and hanging around that park down the street, so uh, let people know." She said.

"Certainly, young miss."

-x-x-x-

Ranma frowned as she rifled through the drawers in "her" room. There were a number of outfits that she knew would look _good_ on her, but nothing that was appropriate for training in. After a few moments of searching, she was able to find some black yoga pants and a red sports bra that looked practically unworn.

'_Well, it's not a dogi, but it's better than nothing.'_ She thought as she started to unfasten her shirt. The red head unceremoniously tossed the white shirt onto the floor and started to undo her bra. As she took it off and glanced at it in disgust, she absently wondered why they were so mandatory. Most girls said they helped support their breasts, but Ranma herself fell into the category of girls who could never find the perfect fit, and whose straps always bit painfully into the shoulder, and of course, it always reminded her of the worst thing that had ever happened to her.

She was also _mildly_ convinced that one of her breasts was a _little_ bit bigger than the other, too, which did _not_ help.

Ranma looked down at the offending breast with an eyebrow raised and cupped each one in a corresponding hand, trying to compare the two. After a moment, and convincing herself that maybe she was just seeing things, she just sighed and resumed changing her clothes, and, when she was finished, stepped back to look at herself in the vanity mirror.

'_Meh,'_ She thought, poking her slight belly. '_I'll be rid of you soon enough. Still look good, too.' _She smirked and turned around, checking herself out. '_If only Akane could be as sexy as me. Ah, well. Not everyone is perfect.' _

-x-_**Usagi**_-x-

"Man, why do we have to do this today?" Usagi whined as she walked along the sidewalk with Ami and Minako by her side. The three had gone to their respective homes and now wore causal clothes. "I've barely got enough change for a one way trip… and all those perverted molesters on the train make me _ill!_"

"I'll help cover the trip back," Ami said. "We'll be fine if we stick together."

"Yeah, Odango," Minako said. "Besides, those perverted molesters will be there tomorrow, anyway, so it's not like it matters."

The three girls stopped in front of the train station and started looking around for their friends, and were in turn spotted by them.

"Oiii! Usagiii!"

They all turned at Makoto's voice and saw her standing with Rei near a bike stand.

"Mako-chan!" The blonde called back and waved with a grin as she and her two companions started walking over to them. "What's the happy-haps?"

Ami and Minako looked at her.

"Happy-haps?" Ami asked.

"I heard it on TV," Usagi admitted as the two groups met.

"Hey you guys," Makoto said. "So we're going to Nerima right?"

"Yes," Ami said. "I figured we could go today because it was a half day, and if we do it today we won't have to on our day off."

"Sounds good to me," Rei said as they started walking together. "What exactly is going on so far? Can you tell?"

"Well, it seems what the Mercury Computer has been detecting are chrono-spatial schisms, ruptures in the fabric of space and time. The computer has been scanning these energy signatures and searching for similar signals since yesterday; at first, I thought it had been a static event, but they seem to be increasing in number… radiating out from the southeast," She said. "Near Kyoto."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Kyoto?" Minako asked, bodily turning to look at her. "How are we supposed to deal with something that far? That's one heck of a commute!"

"I'm not sure," Ami said with a sigh. "But, these… ruptures in space are appearing all over the country, and will have appeared over all of Japan by tonight. Strangely, they seem to be disappearing just as quickly. The one that was in Nerima may already be gone."

"What can we do about it? What are these… ruptures even doing?" Rei asked.

"It doesn't seem like there is much we can do," the blue haired girl admitted. "At the same time, there doesn't seem like anything _needs_ to be done so far. Despite the waves of ruptured space, I haven't detected attacks on civilians or anything similar to previous enemy activity. As far as I can _tell_, these things are harmless. We're just checking it out because it's the closest one, and there may be something we can find out there."

Usagi blinked.

"Really? So nothing's happening?" The blonde asked.

"Of course something's happening, stupid." Rei snorted, rolling her eyes. "We just don't know _what_. She _just_ said we're going there to find out what we can."

"Hey, I'm not stupid!" Usagi barked, but was ignored.

"Wait a second," Makoto prompted, putting a hand on her hip. "What about that girl you told us about in the text? Sailor Neptune's classmate? And didn't you detect a negative energy signal during school yesterday near where some kid got beat up?"

Ami nodded and folded her computer back up, replacing it in her bag.

"We'll have to talk to her," She said. "She might be able to tell us something about what's going on, and if we should really be worried or not. As for that negative energy, well, it may be separate from this, but I doubt it. Still, unless it appears again, this is our only real lead."

-x-x-x-

Sometime later, the group of five stood before a house on a relatively large property.

"This is the place," Ami said as she fished in her bag for the Mercury Computer.

"It _looks_ normal enough," Makoto said as she and the others looked around. "You sure this is it?"

"Let me see," The blue haired girl said as she recovered the device and flipped it open. "Hmm… yes. This is it," She said, looking up. "There are still traces of energy here…"

"Only traces?" Rei frowned. "I can feel it in the air… like a gathering of chaotic energy." She said, closing her eyes.

"There is a great deal of raw mana in the area, and disjointed at that, but it is dissipating." Ami agreed.

"I'm worried about this gathering of energy," Rei said with a frown as she turned to look at the house. "It just gives me the chills. I've never run into something _like_ this before. What could have _caused _it?"

"It might be the directly or indirectly related to the rupture, but I haven't seen anything indicating that yet. None of the other locations had anything like this." Ami said as she tapped some keys on the computer. "Hmm… It seems to be the result of an unstable spell matrix."

The other four girls blinked and looked at her.

"Spell… Matrix?"

"There was some type of magical spell or enchantment that… for lack of a better phrase, seems to have spontaneously exploded."

"…Should we be worried?" Rei asked.

"Not from what I can see. The mana that was woven into it is hanging around the area, but it will dissipate completely soon. Maybe a day or two."

"Wait a minute," Usagi said. "Why would there have been a magic spell _here?_"

The five girls stood there in silence.

"I mean, every _magic_ using person we've run into to date has either been another one of us or an enemy. Is it just me, or does this seem like _bad_ news?"

"That's a good point," Minako muttered. "If there's someone who can use magic running about… chances are it's a bad guy. We've already met the senshi of every planet, haven't we?"

"Well, as far as we know, yes." Ami said. "But there could be one for our own star, Sol, or other moons… Hmm, let me see…" She started to rapidly tap some commands into the little device.

"We haven't run into a Sailor Earth," Makoto pointed out.

"I don't think there is one," Ami said. "I'll look into it later, though."

"Well, if there's nothing we can do here," Usagi said, sighing. "We may as well go home. _Man_, what a wasted trip…"

"Excuse me," A voice called out from the side, and the five girls turned to face a young man. "Could you girls direct me to the Tendo Dojo?"

Almost immediately four of the five girls were stricken by his appearance. He wore a yellow tunic and black trousers, wore a large backpack and carried an umbrella over one shoulder. The fringes of his hair were a rough mop that was kept out of his eyes by a yellow bandanna with black polkadots. His face was slightly effeminate, but worn and rugged, and he had a prominent fang.

"I'm sorry, I really seem to be lost," He said. "I think the area has been renovated since the last time I was here…"

"Oh, we're not from around here either," Ami said.

The youth looked surprised by this, but his expression quickly changed to one of dismay.

"I'm sorry, we're not sure where any local dojos would be."

"Ah… okay, sorry to bother you," He said, turning to walk away.

"_Wait!_"

He blinked and stopped as Minako and Makoto suddenly appeared at each side, wrapping an arm around his.

"What's your name? I'll help you find your dojo!" Makoto offered.

"What? No, I'll help him!" Minako said.

"H-huh?" The young man seemed taken aback by the sudden attention, but quickly recovered. "Wait, really? Oh, thank you!"

Ami frowned as she recalled something.

"Excuse me, the dojo you're looking for… what can you tell me about it?" She asked, reaching into her bag and retrieving the Mercury Computer. She opened it and started tapping a few keys, and he looked over at her.

"Hmm? Well, it's called the Tendo Dojo. The head instructor is a master of his own personal branch of an obscure style," He explained. "It's actually very similar to my family's style."

"Oh? What's it called?" Rei asked, raising an eyebrow.

"_Musabetsu Kakutou Ryuu,_" He said. "I only know of two other masters in the style."

"Indiscriminate Grappling?" Makoto frowned. "I've never heard of that…"

"Well, like I said, it's very obscure," He said with a nod. "It's a composite of styles from around the world, like Karate, Jujutsu, Kung Fu, Wu Shu, Muay Thai, and even some western variations, like Sambo and wrestling. Apparently, in order to learn it properly, you actually have to travel around and study with foreign masters. Being able to switch styles in the middle of a fight, as well as string together attacks and utilize tenets from more than one at a time is the main idea." He said. "There are also a number of original attacks that take movements from the other styles."

"Oh?" Rei frowned. "That sounds a bit… unusual…" She said. "Is that even practical? Can they take on students like that? It seems like it would take years just to learn the basics of all of those different styles."

"Yes, but on the plus side they can teach pretty much any style they want," He said with a shrug.

"Wow," Makoto started, sounding genuinely impressed. "I'd love to check this place out…"

"That all sounds very interesting, but…" Ami started, and the other girls all turned to look at her. "Would you happen to know the dojo's address?"

He blinked.

"Oh! Oh, um, yes," He said. "I stay there a lot, so…" He cleared his throat and gave it to them.

Ami simply nodded, while the other girls all looked at each other, then at the house they'd all been sent to investigate.

"I see," The blue haired teen said with a nod. "What did you say your name was?"

He blinked.

"Oh, um, sorry, I forgot to," He admitted sheepishly, rubbing his head. "Heh. Hibiki Ryouga. Pleased to meet you," He said.

"I'm Kino Makoto, nice to meet you!"

"Aino Minako, at your service!"

Ryouga blinked.

"Um…" He looked over at the other three. "So, do you know where it might be based on that?"

Ami shook her head.

"My apologies."

"I see," He nodded and pulled away from the girls on his side. "Well, you girls be careful around here, okay? This particular area can be dangerous at the wrong time of day."

"Wait!" Minako said. "Are you going to be free later?" She asked.

He blinked.

"Um… I don't know?" He said nervously. "I've really gotta find this dojo…"

"Well, in that case," She said, reaching into her bag and retrieving a scrap of paper. "Here, my phone number. Call me when you get a chance, okay?" She winked and slid the paper into his hand, and he blinked, looking down at it.

"Err…"

"What? You _cheater_!" Makoto cried out. "Wait, let me write mine on there too!" She said, snatching the paper away from him.

"Hey, who said you could use that!" Minako demanded as she tried to take it back from the taller girl, who had somehow gotten out a pen and was writing her phone number on it as well. "Get your _own_ paper!"

"Here!" Makoto said as she turned back to face Ryouga.

Only to see that he was gone.

"Huh? Where'd he go?"

The other girls turned to look from her and Minako to the young man and noticed as well.

"That was rather quick," Ami said.

"_Grr!_ You two clowns scared him off!" Rei shouted. "I didn't even get a chance to introduce myself!"

"Um… sorry? Heheh…" The two chuckled nervously, then shared a heavy sigh. "We're pathetic, aren't we…"

Ami laughed.

"Well, we should get going," She said. "What should we do when we get back?"

"Well, I blew a lot of my allowance on this trip," Usagi said with a sigh. "You guys wanna hang out at my place? We can try playing some of my brother's new games…" She said.

"What kind of games are they?" Ami asked as the group started walking.

"I donno, he just got them a few days ago," She said.

-x-_**Kenichi**_-x-

Outside the ice cream parlor, Chikage was cradling her head as she and Kenichi walked down the sidewalk.

"Ugh… my head and stomach…"

"You shouldn't have eaten so much ice cream all at once," Kenichi admonished. "Don't worry, it'll go away." He looked down at the notepad. "Hmm… Well, Miu-san said that Sakaki-shishou was a very popular sensei," He said. "Maybe we should start with him?"

Chikage looked up at him.

"How would we go about doing that?" She asked, fighting off a wince.

"Erm, well…" He scratched his head. "I guess we could always ask her?"

Chikage nodded.

"Then call her."

"Right," The martial artist said, reaching into his pocket and retrieving his cell phone. After dialing Miu's number, he held it up to his ear and waited. After a moment of ringing, her voice answered.

"Hello!"

"Ah, hi-"

"You've reached the phone of Fuurinji Miu! I'm not available, so please leave a message and I will try to respond!"

There was a beep and he sighed.

"Um, Hi, Miu-san, it's me – Kenichi – you know, Honoka's brother – anyway… I was just wondering if you could tell me more about Sakaki-sensei? I know you said he has a lot of-"

There was another beep and a woman's voice began talking.

"_If you would like to send your message as is, please press one…"_

"Oh come on!" Kenichi groaned. "I wasn't even done!"

"…_would like to re-record the message, press three…"_

He pressed three and held it up to his ear again.

"Miu-san, it's Honoka's brother, Kenichi. Please call me back whenever you can." He said. He brought it away and sighed, then pressed one.

"_Message sent."_

He sighed and pocketed the phone again.

"Well, I guess we're going to have to wait on that." He said, looking down at Chikage. "What now?"

Chikage pointed at him.

"You forgot to give her your phone number."

He frowned.

"I'm sure she has caller ID…"

She narrowed her eyes.

"And if she doesn't?"

He opened his mouth, then closed it several times, then finally sighed and reached into his pocket once more.

-x-x-x-

After yet another phone call, the two were walking down the sidewalk again in silence.

"Um, so…" Kenichi said, looking down at Chikage.

"Yes?" She asked, looking at him.

"What are we doing now?"

She stared at him.

"I thought you had a plan."

He stared back at her. The two stood there in silence for a moment.

"…Um, I don't," He admitted. "The only thing we've got to go on is the possibility that Miu-san knows more about Sakaki-Shishou." He said.

"There must be some way for us to gather information." She said. "What would you use to look up where people live?"

He blinked.

"Telephone directory? The Internet? I don't know…"

She nodded.

"Then we shall."

He shrugged.

"Beats standing around, I guess," He agreed. "I have both at my house, we can do it there."

-x-x-x-

As they neared Kenichi's house, Chikage suddenly stopped walking. Kenichi looked over at the younger girl and blinked.

"Chikage-chan? Something wrong?" He asked.

"We are surrounded," She said. "Nine of them."

Kenichi blinked and looked around.

"What?" He muttered. He looked around the street as paranoia started to set in. There were plenty of places for someone to be hiding; he was at the end of a bridge over some canal, there was a tall brick fence on the opposite of the side of the bridge and various other obstacles, such as light poles, mailboxes and the like in his line of sight.

"Interesting." He frowned upon hearing Niijima's voice, as the man in question stepped out from behind the corner of the fence, a hand in each pocket. Kenichi blinked; the other teen was wearing an expensive suit complete with a tie. The other eight stepped out of various hiding spaces as well in groups of two and three. "I'd known you were a freak, Kenshi, but I didn't think you were a _lolicon_."

"What?" Kenichi blinked.

Niijima pointed at Chikage.

"Where did you pick your little escort up, anyway? The corner of a primary school?"

Kenichi gagged, while Chikage looked up at Kenichi with a frown.

"You are a lolicon?" She asked.

"No! _No! _No. I am _**not**_ a lolicon!" He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Ugh… what do you _want_, Niijima?"

"I think it's obvious what we came here for, Weak Legs Kichi." The thuggish Niijima pounded one fist into the other.

"My name, it's Kenichi," The martial artist replied with a small sigh.

"Shaddap! Who cares about the name of trash? Break his puny, miserable legs!"

The thugs all grinned and chuckled as they started to approach. Kenichi took stock of all of them best he could with his bad eyes, then narrowed them.

'_I can do this. Even with this weak body, if I remember the training…'_ He looked straight ahead, his stance becoming more firm.

Niijima frowned.

"Hmm… he seems to know a thing or two." The suit wearing teen muttered and raised an eyebrow. "But he doesn't move like a fighter at all. What are you idiots waiting for? He's just imitating something he saw in a movie!"

"What? What I'm doing, was taught to me by people way more dangerous than you see in movies!" Kenichi snorted. The men all roared and started charging for him. When the first one was in range, he stepped around a punch and retaliated with one of his own to the man's sternum, followed by an uppercut. He swerved his body around to avoid a punch from behind and grabbed the person behind him and tossed them over his shoulder. He looked over at Chikage and noticed that one of the men was lying on the ground in front of her, groaning in pain.

"What the hell…" Niijima narrowed his eyes at the two in the middle of the commotion and frowned. The rest of his flunkies were staring at them in confusion. "So you _do_ know a thing or two. Heh. Heh… heh heh heh! That should make breaking you all the more fun! Do it! Break weak legs' _puny weak legs!_"

"Hey, come on…" Kenichi said nervously as the men started to take out weapons.

"What about the girl, boss?" One of the men asked.

"Do I look like I care about little girls?" Niijima asked the man with a frown. "Really?"

The man shrugged.

"Whatever."

Kenichi sighed as Chikage moved to stand back to back with him. The gangsters surrounded them and approached.

"Remember not to get too close to my back." She said, glancing at him.

"Oh man…" Kenichi muttered as one of them leapt at him with a knife. He redirected the blade with his right hand and punched the man in the face with his left, then took hold of the man's wrist and heaved, swinging him into the gangster to his right, while raising his left foot and kicking to his left, hitting the man there mid-lunge in the stomach and knocking the wind out of him. He slammed his elbow into the man's face and ducked under a wild haymaker from the front, taking hold of the man's arm and using his own momentum to fling him overhead. He turned to face the stunned gangster to his left and kicked him in the stomach, knocking him away.

The young martial artist took a defensive stance as he surveyed the three men who were lying pain on the ground; One of them was stunned, but the two he'd knocked into each other were recovering. He took a glance at Chikage to see that she was in much the same situation; the young YOMI fighter had just brutally slammed the man he'd sent overhead into one of the men on the ground before her, and the two were groaning in pain. There were three more who were standing up and scowling at her.

"You little shits," One of the men muttered, and Kenichi frowned as he held his knife up. "I'll kill you both!"

"No! Stop."

The entire group turned to face Niijima in confusion. The suit wearing teen was walking towards Kenichi and Chikage with a scowl.

"Your _Seikuuken_ is near perfect; you can accurately predict the movements of your foes and consciously react, and you also have textbook perfect technique."

He assumed a stance of his own.

"But you have no power, speed, or reflex, as if you've never trained a day in your life, which makes absolutely no sense." He narrowed his eyes. "How the hell does that happen?"

"I really wish I knew." Kenichi admitted.

"Hmph. I'll still break you!" Niijima shouted out.

Before he could move, though, something dropped in between Kenichi and Niijima from above, and they all froze.

Kenichi froze and blinked, seeing Miu crouched in front of him. She slowly stood up and the group backed away. Kenichi's eyes went wide.

'_This… this aura! It's nothing like peaceful Miu-san's aura at all! It's like… back then…'_ He resisted the urge to back away in fear as his mind flashed back to the time Kanou Shou had sent the blonde into a berserk rage. It was more subdued than that time, but definitely the same.

The blonde turned and looked over at Kenichi. The look of concern in her eyes threw him off.

"Kenichi-san! You're safe?"

"Uh… yeah…" He said, scratching his head. '_Heh heh… she's worried about me!_'

She smiled.

"Good. I'm glad I made it in time." She suddenly turned over to look at Niijima. "_Get lost_. Unless you want me to _break_ you and your friends."

Kenichi's lip trembled.

'…_S-so un-Miu-like…_'

Niijima frowned.

"Hmph. Boys, that's enough for now," The long eared teen said. The thugs all growled and backed away.

"Hey boss, why don't you fight her? You can take her!" One of them said, pointing at the blonde.

"Shut up, idiot! Do you think I really want to tire myself out before tonight?" The alien said, glaring at the man. "We've dallied enough as it is. I expected _Weak Legs_ to go down quickly enough that it wouldn't have mattered we'd stopped, but at this rate, we'll be late. Let's go." With that, he turned and started walking, and Kenichi grinned at him.

'_Ah, good ol' Niijima, fastest running legs in the world.'_ The teen thought. He looked over at Miu as the thugs made their retreat. "But, why didn't you just start attacking? I thought you hated guys like that?" He asked.

"Heh," She smiled at him, and all of his feelings of anxiety towards her faded away. "Grandfather always said to give them a chance to surrender."

'_Her smiles are still the same!_' He thought with a euphoric grin.

"But Kenichi-san," Miu's look changed to one of curiosity. "I didn't know you knew martial arts."

He blinked.

"Hm? Ah, well I guess you could say I've trained a little here and there," He said with a small grin, scratching his head.

"Really?" She smiled. "Hmm, you'll have to tell me about it sometime." The blonde looked down at Chikage, who was staring at her. "Who's your friend?"

"Huh?" Kenichi blinked, then looked down at Chikage. "Uh, well, uh… this is Kushinada Chikage-chan," He said. "She goes to the middle school near ours."

Miu smiled.

"Oh? Your friend?"

He blinked, then nodded.

"Yeah."

"Nice to meet you, Kushinada-san," Miu said with a polite bow.

Chikage reciprocated.

"…Nice to meet you, Fuurinji-san."

Miu blinked and looked up in confusion.

"Huh?"

"Er, I told her about you," Kenichi said.

"Oh, okay." Miu giggled. "Right, of course. Well, I've got to go pick up Honoka-chan. Stay out of trouble now, okay?" She grinned and waved, then turned and crouched down to leap.

Kenichi blinked at how quickly she'd gotten ready to leave, and held a hand out towards her.

"Ah! Wait!"

She blinked.

"Hm? What is it?"

"I was wondering if you could tell us how to reach Sakaki Shio-sensei," He said. "I know he's busy, but I still would like to try and meet him." He said.

Miu blinked, then stood and turned to look at him.

"Sakaki-sensei? Well, his dojo is in Azabu Juuban," She said. "More than that, I can't say. He likes to be secretive because too many people are looking for him already," She said with a shrug. "Sorry I can't be of help."

Chikage frowned.

"Can't, or won't?" She asked.

The blonde looked down at her with a smile.

"Can't. He changes location often, so it's not easy for me to say just where he is right now. But most likely he's in Azabu Juuban." She said. "Are you still going to look for him?"

Kenichi nodded.

"I don't have much choice," He said. "I don't know if I can trust anyone else with my karate training."

She stared at him for a moment.

"Well, do your best." She said. "Bye!"

"One more thing," He said. "I left a message on your phone asking you to call me, but you can forget it." He said.

She nodded, and in one clean leap, made it up to the nearest roof, where she continued on.

Kenichi watched the last spot he'd seen her for a long moment, before sighing and turning to look at Chikage.

"I guess we're going to Juuban," He said. "Do you have money for a train ride?" He asked.

She shook her head.

"Hmm…" He frowned. "He may not even _be_ in the telephone directory." He said. "We'll have to go there and search."

"Where do we start?" She asked.

Kenichi shook his head.

"I've got no clue," He said. "I guess we can try some dojos out, ask around."

She nodded.

"Very well. Let us depart."

He stared at her.

"Um, Juuban is like three or four districts away," He said. "We can't just walk there. Like I said, we need to ride a train," He said.

She nodded.

"Very well. Let us depart."

"We don't have train _money_." He said.

She stared at him.

"…How much does it cost?" She asked.

He shrugged.

"Hmm, maybe five to six hundred yen for me, but they might give you child rates or something," He said. "We shouldn't need more than a thousand yen one way."

Chikage stared at him for a moment, then looked down at the ground.

"Oh…"

"Don't worry about it." He said. "I'll talk to my parents and see if they don't mind covering it," He said. "But for now, you should go home. You… live with foster parents now, right?" He asked.

She hesitated for a moment, but nodded.

"They might get worried that you're staying out so long," He said. "We can do it tomorrow. There's no school after all," He said. "That will give us more time to ask around anyway."

She stared at him for a moment, then nodded.

"Fine. We'll meet up tomorrow. I'll call you."

"Alright, let me just give you my phone number." He said.

She shook her head.

"I already have it."

He blinked.

"When..?"

She turned around.

"You said it in the message earlier."

Kenichi blinked.

"Oh… right."

-x-x-x-

Sometime later, Kenichi sighed as he cleared a space in his room, and then sat down in it.

"Coma or no, I've got to train some way or another. Then again, if it is a dream, then my real body is going to be missing out anyway and this would be pointless…" He sighed.

With that, he laid down and started to do sit ups.

Five semi sit-ups later his face was scrunched up in excruciating pain as he attempted to complete his sixth.

"Owowowow!" He dropped down to the ground and twisted his body, putting a hand to his aching stomach. "Man! I can't believe this! Was I ever this bad before?" He frowned, remembering the very first days of his training. "I think I was a little better…" He muttered, then shook his head. "Still, unless I go at the pace the Senseis set for me, I'll never make any progress." He took a few deep breaths and then started another situp.

Roughly an hour later, he was covered in sweat and lying prone on the floor.

"That's… I think that's how much Koetsuji-sensei made me do on the first day." he muttered as he lay face down in a puddle of sweat. He tried to move his arm but stopped when it rejected his demands with harsh pain. "Maybe I'll just… lay here for a while…"

After a long bath, he went to bed and did not move again until morning.

-x-_**Usagi**_-x-

Usagi sighed as she walked along the sidewalk toward the Tsukino household.

'_She never answered that text message I sent,'_ She thought with a frown. "What are you doing, stupid Odango? I hope you didn't _ruin_ it…" She muttered as she stopped before the two story house. She looked over at Luna-P, who floated just over her shoulder. "If she ruined it, you're gonna help me punish her." The ball just floated there, and she turned and walked up to the door. She opened it and walked in, but was immediately blasted with the sound of machine gun fire.

"Just die already!" Shingo cried out above the gunfire. There was suddenly a particularly loud retort and the sound of a messy, gory explosion as the machine gun sounds stopped. "No! Damn you!"

"_Double Kill!"_

"My turn!" Makoto cried out. "Gimme your controller!"

"I'll avenge you Shingo!" Rei said. "C'mon, girls, we've got to stop this serial killer!"

The loud retort and gory explosion sounded again.

"_Triple Kill! Rampage!"_

"The heck!" Rei cried out. "How!"

Usagi blinked as she closed the door, took her shoes off and wandered into the room with the television. There, situated around the TV, were the senshi, Luna, Artemis, and Shingo. On the TV was a first person shooting video game of some sort, and there was a four-way split-screen on.

"It _is_ a sniper rifle," Ami said as she glanced over at her friend. "It has a very long range."

"Grr! Bah, whose turn is it?"

"Uhhh, I'll pass," The Usagi sitting by the television said. "Until someone kills Ami-chan, then I'm in." she said.

Usagi raised an eyebrow as she set her bag down and walked further into the room. No one seemed to notice her.

"Then I'll just keep playing,"

"No way, give it to me," Shingo said.

"You just died!" Rei snorted.

"You died after I did!" He retorted.

"Bah, whatever," She snorted.

"Okay, everyone," Makoto said. "Truce until Ami-chan is dead?"

"Sounds good to me," Minako said.

As the pink haired teen watched, it soon became obvious which player was Ami. The blue haired girl continued to rack up headshot kills with her sniper rifle, even in close range, without the scope or an aiming cursor.

"How are you _doing_ that?" Shingo demanded. "You've gotta be cheating!"

"I like this weapon," Ami said simply.

"Use something else!"

"Okay," The blue haired girl acquiesced.

One rocket propelled grenade explosion later, Shingo was growling with frustration.

"That one's even cheaper! Use a _real_ gun!"

"This game won't let me use real guns," Ami said.

"Ha. Ha." Shingo sighed. "Whose turn was it?"

Usagi grinned as she walked up to the group.

"Mine," She said, holding a hand out expectantly.

Everyone turned to look at her, cats included, and at that point, all of them except for Shingo froze.

"Oh, hey, Usagi. You're back?" Shingo said, handing her the controller.

"Yup. What's the happy-haps, girls?" She asked, smirking at their reaction.

Blonde Usagi's eyes widened as she gasped.

"I forgot all about you!" She said. "Uhh, err, I mean…"

The rest of the group turned to look at her.

"Umm…" She pointed at the screen. "Aren't you guys online?" She asked.

Ami quickly turned to look at the screen.

"Shoot!" There was suddenly an explosion and she winced as her character exploded along with the person who had snuck up on her. "Aww, darn. I forgot I'd switched to that one," She said with a sigh.

"_Yesss!" _Shingo cried out.

The rest of the group stared at the TV for a moment, then turned to look at Usagi again.

"_Chibi-Usa!_" Minako cried out.

The pink haired teen chuckled malevolently.

"Except, I'm older than you now." She said with a smirk.

The girls, sans Usagi, all stared at her.

"Well, this is unexpected." Ami said. "Did someone want to take my player?" She asked, holding her controller up.

Pink haired Usagi blinked.

'_So…nonchalant…'_

"Uh, yeah," Blonde Usagi said, taking it. "What other games did you get, Shingo?"

"What are you doing back here? I thought you left for good!" Makoto said.

"I've got that new fighting game, some puzzle games, and that new Sailor Moon adventure game. It's even got those new senshi who appeared recently, you know, the outers?"

Usagi giggled.

"Neat! I wanna try that one next!"

"Uhh," Pink-haired Usagi frowned. "Stop interrupting my dramatic return!"

"Well… it's kinda ruined already," The other Usagi said.

"Not really," Rei said. "I still feel a bit shocked, to be honest." She turned to look at Pink Usagi. "Though it is kind of fading fast."

"Ugh…" Pink Usagi sighed. "Um, well, yeah. I'm back. Hi."

The other girls all nodded slowly, their expressions fading from shocked to normal.

"What are you talking about?" Shingo asked.

"Errr, nothing, Shingo," Usagi blonde said. "We're just being silly."

"Whatever," He said. "Who wants to switch modes?"

"Wait, I haven't played yet," Usagi Pink said.

"You were playing last night," Shingo said with a frown.

"But I still wanna," She said with a frown. "Listen to your elders!"

He rolled his eyes.

"We're just switching to teams," He said. "I want to try playing a team battle on the net."

"You mean you don't want Ami-chan to be able to kill you anymore," Rei said with a snort.

"A team battle sounds fun," Ami said. "There are tanks, right? Can I drive?"

"Knock yourself out," Shingo said.

Ami nodded and looked over at pink Usagi and patted a spot next to her on the ground.

"Here, why don't you sit down?"

"So, what are you here to do this time?" Rei asked as the girl did just that. "Still in training?"

"Hmm? No, I've been promoted to full time in that regard. I'm still not as good as mom, though." She admitted. "Actually, I'm here to learn something, but I have no idea what it is."

"So still in training," Rei said with a smirk.

"Bah," Pink Usagi said. "To be honest, I can't think of this as anything other than a vacation compared to back home."

"Well, it's nice to have you back, even if it is only after a day," Makoto said with a smile. "You look well."

"Thanks," The pink haired girl said, turning to look at the television.

"Do you have a boyfriend yet? You're _older_ than us, right?" Minako asked.

Pink Usagi glanced at Blonde Usagi.

"Well… Mom… and dad," She started. "Are kinda… _protective_ of me…"

"What? That sounds lame," Blonde Usagi said. The other girls all turned to look at her. "Oh, wait. Uh, I mean… eh heh…"

"Tell me about it," The girl from the future said with a snort.

"The game's starting," Shingo said. "Try not to die, I don't wanna lose!"

"We'll talk after this," Usagi said.

-x-x-x-

Sometime later, the girls were upstairs and walking into Usagis' room.

"You're pretty good at video games, Ami-chan," Makoto said. "Do you own some like those?"

"Mmhmm," The blue haired girl said as the last of the group walked into the room and shut the door behind them. "But I hardly ever get a chance to play because I'm either studying or on the net."

"Eh?" Minako blinked. "Then why are you so _good?_"

"I'm not sure," Ami said, bringing a finger to her mouth. "Latent talent?"

"Maybe you should get a power that lets you use a sniper rifle," Usagi said with a sigh.

"That might be something to look into," Ami said with a nod. "Though I'm sure it would be different in real life."

Usagi gasped.

"I was joking… _jo-king!"_

"So was I," Ami said with a smile.

The rest of the girls, sans Usagi, laughed.

"Or was I?" The blue haired girl said, as she narrowed her eyes.

Everyone suddenly stopped laughing and Artemis cleared his throat.

"Anyway," He said. "It's nice that Chibi-Usa is back…"

"Don't call me that," The pink haired girl said with a frown. "I'm older than them now! That was a childish little nickname."

"You'll always be Chibi-Usa to us," Rei said with a grin.

"Yeah," Minako started. "But really, now that you're older, we can totally hang out in style."

"Yeah! So," Makoto started. "How old are you now?"

"Sixteen," Chibi-Usa said with a resigned sigh. "I'm going to the high school in this area. You'll _never_ guess who my classmates are."

"The outer senshi?" Ami asked with a raised eye brow.

Chibi-Usa looked at her in annoyance.

"Do you have to spoil _everything?_"

Ami blinked.

"I was right?"

Chibi-Usa sighed and dropped down on her mother's bed.

"Yeah. Them."

"Huh. Er, sorry?" The blue haired girl said with a nervous blush as the other girls giggled. "I didn't mean to, ah… ruin your fun."

"No, it's okay. Anyway, as for why I'm here," Chibi-Usa said, crossing her arms. "Mom told me to try and learn something other than what they teach in school." She said with a sigh.

The other girls all stared at her.

"That sounds vague and rather useless," Rei said, glancing at Usagi. "Not surprising considering who your mother is."

"Grr…" Usagi growled as she sat down on Chibi-Usa's bed.

"Hmm, well, how are things in the future?" Ami asked.

"I'm not allowed to tell you that," Chibi-Usa said. "Couldn't even if I wanted to. Last time was a special occasion because we needed your help and our enemies were causing you trouble anyway."

"That makes sense," Artemis said.

"Though I would have expected a lazier attitude from Usagi," Luna admitted.

"Stop teasing me!" The blonde girl whined.

"Well, it's only the truth…" Luna said sheepishly.

"You're all so mean!" The dual pony-tailed girl muttered. "When I'm being nice enough to host you all in my own room no less!"

"Chibi-Usa," Ami started. "Is there anything you can tell us about the situation that's unfolding right now?"

The pink haired girl blinked.

"What? What are you talking about?"

The blue haired girl crossed her arms.

"Well, there are strange ruptures appearing in the space-time fabric around the country, and I'm not sure if it will stop in Japan," She said. "They seem benign, but something tells us they aren't."

"Oh, is that what you were talking about earlier?" Artemis asked, looking at Luna. The other moon cat nodded. "Hmm. It does indeed sound strange…"

Chibi-Usa frowned.

"I… don't know what you're talking about. If something big is going on and I'm going to be involved, then Mom might have locked away my memories regarding it," She said. "Sorry."

The girls and two cats sat there in silence for a moment.

"You know," Rei started, looking over at Usagi. "You're starting to get unusually _proactive_ here. Somehow, this worries me."

"Er, I'm sure we'll pull through," Usagi said. "Right? Proof of that is sitting right here," She gestured Chibi-Usa.

"You can't take that for granted," Ami admonished. "From what I understand, we do not exist in a static timeline. We've made changes already," She said. "That kind of attitude might end up _destroying _this so called proof. You wouldn't want to do _that_, now would you?"

"Wouldn't that create a time paradox?" Rei asked.

"I don't know, but that's another reason to avoid being so complacent," Ami said. "In any case, it just means we need to be on our guard and do what we can when the time comes." She turned to look at Chibi-Usa. "If you're classmates with Kaiou-san, then… do you know of any other new students in the class?"

The pink haired girl blinked.

"Oh yeah… That Ranma girl," She said, tilting her head. "She joined the Karate clube today. Why?"

"According to Neptune, she might have something to do with what's happening," Ami said. "Just as a precaution, you might want to keep an eye on her."

Chibi-Usa shrugged.

"If you say so." She clapped her hands. "So… what TV dramas are you watching these days?"

-x-_**Ranma**_-x-

Ranma panted heavily as she stood before a tree, maintaining her stance. She grunted as she sloppily kicked at the tree and brought her leg back down, barely managing to keep her balance.

"Three hundred seventy eight…"

She kicked up again, flinging sweat in the air in all directions with her exaggerated motions.

"Three hundred seventy three…"

The whole world had gotten incredibly woozy as of late, and she was finding it hard to stand up. Ranma growled and clenched her fists, gritting her teeth.

"Like I could lose to this_ stupid_ body! _Eiyaaah_!" She let out a loud kiai as she kicked the tree one more time. "_Three hundred eighty!_"

The moment the redhead's foot touched down on the grass behind her, she moved back, as the world seemed to swirl around her. She fell back down onto the grass and reached around, her hand falling onto a nearby water bottle. She quickly opened it and brought it to her mouth and lazily poured its contents, gulping down what she could and letting the excess spill off. It was empty in seconds, but the swirling rainbow of colors slowly started to dissipate as the world stopped spinning around her.

As she stared up at the stars slowly starting to gather overhead, the red-head just floated in a state of semi-consciousness, aware of the world around her, but without really processing any thoughts. After a few moments, little bits and pieces of her mind came back, and ideas trickled in and out as she considered her situation.

'_Man, walking back is gonna suck,'_ She thought as her adrenaline faded away. Utilizing her chi, she'd managed to push herself much farther than before. A normal person might have died doing the number of exercises she'd managed, but it was all starting to come down on her as every muscle and joint ached, and she closed her eyes, moaning in pain. She quickly bit her lip and the sound died down to a hum that resonated with her breathing. '_Cripes, I'm weak.'_

Ten minutes later, she was breathing normally again and ignoring the stiffness and pain in her legs.

'_Man, and I only got through half of what I'd planned to,'_ She thought, looking up at familiar constellations. Even using her Chi to reinforce her body, there was only so much more she could do than a normal person. A breeze went through the park, and she sat up and started testing her arms, rowing them about and stretching them overhead. They were sore, but not as bad as they'd been when she started her kicking exercises. '_I'll walk home on my hands, then.' _She thought as she stood up. The redhead looked about to see the way out of the park, then bent over and stood on her hands. After establishing her balance by tweaking her legs overhead, she lifted one hand up and put it forward, then brought it down on the grass in front of her.

She repeated this until she was at the door to the mansion.

-x-_**Hiei**_-x-

Hiei didn't bother to look at the bouncer of the seedy club he was walking into, even as the large man called out to him. When the man reached out to grab him, he simply unsheathed his katana and, without looking, split a ring the man was wearing in half, then replaced his weapon.

The bouncer didn't try to stop him again.

When he got inside, the youkai frowned as he looked around. The lights and effects of _Club Aensland_ were as gaudy as always, and it smelled of booze. Expensive booze, but still, booze. He nonetheless quickly spotted who he was looking for, and walked over to the silver haired youkai with a frown.

"Hiei," Yoko Kurama acknowledged, without turning away from the dancer he was watching on stage. "How's Yusuke holding up?"

"Hasn't woken up, yet, but he's still alive. What have you found out?"

"We seem to be members of a select few group of survivors," Yoko said. "From what I can tell, it's as if the gate to Makai was never unsealed. The only people who recall it having been, have been S class youkai, whom that gate was made specifically to keep in Makai, yet somehow are out with the rest of us."

"I was beginning to suspect as much. How is that even possible?" Hiei asked with a frown.

"The same way Yusuke's Mazoku aspect was resealed, and my Shuuichi aspect has disappeared completely?" Kurama said, turning to glance at him. "I'm afraid my research hasn't been very forthcoming. Mukuro-san sends you her regards, by the way."

"Hmph." Hiei turned to leave, but was suddenly struck in the face by a piece of cloth, which then proceeded to hang from his hair. He stood stock still for a moment, then reached up and removed the article of clothing from his head, and turned to look at the stripper on stage.

"Come on, don't leave." She said. She was light skinned, very voluptuous, had green hair, a pair of bat wings sprouting from her back and a much smaller pair from her head.

She was also now topless.

"You just got here. Stick around for a bit, why don't you? I'll give you a private show later." She said with a smile and a wink.

"Hmm." Hiei considered it, then turned to face the stage as he stuck the racy bit of cloth into his cloak.

Kurama chuckled.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's note: There is a point in time when chapters start to get too long. A lot can happen in a day, but when it's 'a day' for four different groups of people, it becomes quite a bit more... as I realized while writing this chapter.  
Please let me know about any issues ASAP so I can fix them.

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Chapter 3

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Yusuke slowly blinked his eyes open. The first thing he saw was an eggshell white ceiling. Bumps and holes perforated the ceiling tiles, giving it a sense of randomized uniformity. He slowly came to be aware of the high pitched beeping of a machine nearby, but he paid it no heed. Instead, he stared up uncomprehendingly at the blotchy tiles, his mind free of any thought. A few moments passed like this and his eyes slowly turned to face the origin of the beeping sound of their own accord. He saw wires leading away from his body to several devices and monitors with readouts of numbers and his pulse. A pouch with clear liquid hung on a rack, and a clear tube lead from it to his arm, where it was connected by way of needle. There was a curtain serving as a wall to his right, and an actual wall with a large window to his left.

There, sitting in a chair by the darkened window was the familiar red haired form of Kurama's human aspect, Shuuichi. The boy looked up, seeming to notice his awareness, and smiled.

Yusuke's mind was sluggish, but he had a vague sense of where he was.

"Good morning."

There was a brief pause before Yusuke responded.

"K…Kurama?"

Yusuke frowned.

"What are you… doin… here?"

The red haired teen chuckled.

"I'm here to see you, of course."

Yusuke blinked.

"Oh."

The once spirit detective turned ramen chef sat up in his bed and started to twist his neck about, earning a few satisfying pops as everything shifted back into place.

"Hiei wasn't lying. You were beaten pretty badly," The red haired teen leaned back against a wall. "By a few common human thugs, no less."

Yusuke blinked his eyes a few times as he turned to face the other teen.

"What?"

Kurama chuckled.

"Haven't you wondered why you're sitting here in a hospital bed?"

The other teen blinked.

"Well I guess they don't just pick up drunks they find lying on the street," He said, rolling his shoulders and earning some more pops.

"Of course not. That's what jail cells are for." The other teen said. "You don't remember what happened?"

Yusuke paused in his movements and considered it.

"The last thing I remember… I was looking for a way back home…" He frowned. "Say, you wouldn't happen to know who I crashed with last night, would you?"

Kurama chuckled.

"It wouldn't be last night," He said. "You've been asleep for a day."

Yusuke frowned.

"An entire day?"

Kurama nodded.

"As for what happened two days ago, well…" Kurama said. "First off, how are you feeling?"

Yusuke blinked.

"Not too bad…" He said. "It doesn't _feel_ like I got the shit kicked out of me, that's for sure. A little stiff and sore, maybe, but…"

Kurama nodded.

"I slipped a potent healing potion into your IV last night," He said. "You should be fully recovered in a matter of hours. I must say, humans may not be the most fearsome of creatures, but their development of technology certainly has its advantages."

Yusuke nodded.

"Speaking of which, you're fully human again."

Yusuke blinked.

"What?"

"We've got quite a lot to talk about," Kurama said with a sigh. "Think you could walk? I'd rather take our leave of this facility."

Yusuke nodded, then turned and hopped out of the bed, pulling himself free of the various machines monitoring him. Once he was standing free of the machines, he looked down at himself and realized that he wasn't wearing anything but a hospital gown.

"Shit, I don't have any clothes here, do I?"

Kurama shook his head.

"You've got bigger problems than that to worry about."

Yusuke sighed and started walking towards the other teen, but blinked on noticing the IV still in his arm. He pulled it out and let it drop as Kurama walked over to the window and opened it. Yusuke blinked in surprise on seeing the familiar short figure of Hiei standing outside the window on a very thin ledge. He wore the same all black ensemble as always, with the familiar white bandana around his head.

"Finally." The black haired demon said. Though his tone was one of impatience, his face showed only indifference. "You've cost us a lot of valuable time."

"Hiei?" Yusuke raised an eyebrow. "You're here too?"

The short demon simply turned and leapt away in a blur, leaving Yusuke to frown in confusion.

"What's he on about?"

"You'll find out in a moment," Kurama said as he took hold of the teen and leapt through the window.

Yusuke watched the world pass them by in a blur as they bounded across rooftops through the city, his hospital gown fluttering harshly. He tried in vain to keep it down. They stopped in the middle of a deserted park, and Kurama set the other teen down, then stepped away. Hiei stood beside them with both arms crossed.

"What the heck? I coulda followed on my own," Yusuke said with a frown.

Hiei snorted.

"The idiot hasn't even noticed how weak he is yet. I'd have thought a beating like that would be enough to show even him, but it seems I was wrong."

Yusuke frowned.

"Hey, I… well…" He blinked and looked down at himself. "Well what the hell's going on here anyway? You said I'm human… I hadn't noticed it until you said that, but you're right. And I'm not nearly as strong as I should be…"

Kurama chuckled.

"Your reiki was practically _gone_ until yesterday," He said. "You almost died from that beating. So it wasn't a total loss."

Yusuke looked over at him.

"What are you talking about? How did that even happen?" He held up a hand and looked it over. "I should have been able to slap them silly with my little finger."

Kurama nodded.

"Indeed. But you've been severely weakened," He said. "And so have the two of us, but not nearly as much as you."

Seeing Yusuke's blank expression, he continued.

"A very powerful, unknown force is at work here, Yusuke. The entire world has been changed at some level, not just us."

Yusuke looked over at Hiei.

"You're weaker too?"

Hiei snorted.

"Not as strong as I used to be, but _weak _doesn't apply to me." He looked at Kurama with disdain. "Hurry up and explain this in terms that buffoon can understand."

Yusuke rolled his eyes.

"To be brief," Kurama began, "History has been altered. In this timeline, certain events that happened to us which in turn made us as powerful as we were, never came to pass. As a result, you were never powerful enough to be recognized by your latent mazoku genes, and are still human. In my case, my human aspect is actually gone," Kurama said. "What you see now is a simple transformation."

Yusuke blinked.

"Someone screwed with _history?_" He asked.

Kurama nodded.

"Like I said, the whole world has been changed. And unlike us, most people aren't even aware of the existence of a different history. It seems that only those who were S class demons recall the true nature of the world, but some of them are stuck in Makai."

Yusuke's jaw hung slightly as he processed that bit of information.

"Stuck in Makai?"

Kurama nodded.

"The gates to Makai were never unsealed in this timeline," He said. "The status quo is largely how you remember it to be before you became a spirit detective."

Yusuke blinked.

"What… but how? Who? _Why?_"

"He already said, _an unknown force_, you fool."

Yusuke turned to look at Hiei.

"Well, how do we fix it?"

Kurama shrugged.

"We have to investigate this phenomenon first," He said. "As it is, we know nothing other than its most obvious effects."

Yusuke nodded, but looked down at himself.

"What should I do then?"

"Train," Hiei said. "Train hard. You're useless right now."

Yusuke frowned.

Kurama sighed.

"Unfortunately, he's right," The kitsune said. "Despite everything, you still have a tiny bit of youki left in you, which I take to mean that your mazoku genes are still present. You need to work on reclaiming your strength first and foremost. I'll keep you informed of our discoveries, but you need to focus on that."

Yusuke clenched his fists with a frown.

"Training alone isn't going to help me. I need to fight. And I'd _really _like to kick the ass of whoever is behind all of this bullshit."

Kurama nodded.

"You may decide to hunt lesser demons, but I suppose the two of us will be able to spare some time to help you out."

Hiei snorted.

"He'll die if I fight him. You keep him to yourself for now."

And with that, he turned and leapt away, vanishing from sight immediately.

Yusuke rolled his eyes.

"Yeah yeah, I love you too, ass."

Kurama chuckled.

"Well, I suppose that's all for now then. Do you understand the situation?"

Yusuke tilted his head.

"A little? This is all a bit sudden." He shook his head. "If I'm _really_ as weak as I was before I was a spirit detective, it'll take _months_ to get back to where I was, if not a year or two…"

Kurama nodded.

"No one saw this coming." He turned away as well. "Well, you're going to need to get some new clothes, and figure out a way to support yourself," He said. "That place you woke up in two days ago is your apartment in this timeline. I don't know anything else about you, but I'm assuming you don't own a ramen cart here."

The ex-mazoku teen's eyes bugged.

"What?!"

Kurama chuckled.

"_Now_ do you understand the situation?" He asked. "I'll see you around, Yusuke."

And with that, he took off in the same manner as Hiei.

Yusuke jerked in surprise, then reached out after them.

"What? Wait, no! At least lend me some clothes you assholes!" He took a few steps after them, but a sudden stiff breeze kicked up and ripped his gown off and carried it away. He looked down at himself in shock, then turned and quickly ran after the gown. _"Get back here!"_

-x-_**Ranma**_-x-

Ranma opened her eyes and immediately scanned the area. Though she was expecting an attack of some sort, she was surprised - and momentarily confused - to see that she was not in the guest room at the Tendo Dojo and about to be 'rudely awoken'; instead, she was in a large, fancy bed with a canopy and drapes. She turned her head to the bedstand, and seeing that the clock read 5:00 AM, she looked out the window. It was still dark out.

She quickly became acutely aware of aching pains spreading out all across her body. She was still sore from the exercises the day before, but she ignored it and dragged herself out of the bed and stood up. She sighed and pulled her boxers up, then surveyed the room.

'_I'm gonna need to get some new threads,'_ She thought with disdain. As much as she preferred wearing borrowed boxers to the alternative that was available to her in that room, it still wasn't ideal_._ She stretched her arms over her head and moaned as the kinks in her arms and back straightened out. '_You'd think a fancy bed like that would be perfect or something,_' she thought, putting her hands on her waist and bending backwards until one final satisfying pop signaled the end of the tension in her back. She sighed in relief and looked around the room. '_Guess I'll go train some more,'_ She thought.

She walked over to the desk, where her training outfit from the previous day waited, freshly washed and neatly folded. Before she could start to get changed, though, her cellphone, also on the desk suddenly came to life, its LED backlight brightening the otherwise dark room.

"Huh?" She muttered before picking it up and looking at it. There was a text message from Michiru. "A representative of the Sailor Senshi agreed to meet with me?" She blinked. '_Huh. That's better than zilch, I guess,_' She shrugged and resumed changing out of her improvised pajamas and into her improvised training outfit.

When she was done she picked her phone up again and started to reply to the text.

_That's neat, I guess. When and where can I meet them?_

After pressing the send button, she started to ponder how she was to carry it out with her when the phone lit up and it played a pop song she was unfamiliar with. She blinked, and looked down at it.

_There's a park down the street from our school. Haruka and I will be there at 12PM. You can meet us there and we'll take you. _

"Huh. That was fast…" She muttered. "Hmm…" She typed a quick response and sent it.

_Sounds like a plan. But what are you doing up so early?_

She tapped her thumbs on the screen as she waited.

_Wishing I had turned my phone off._

Ranma chuckled, then realized she had woken the other girl up.

_Oh, whoops. Eheh, see you later._

_See you at 12!_

With the conversation over, Ranma started idly cruising the phone's menus until she came to the built in web browser.

'_Hmm, now that you mention it, I've seen signs and pictures and stuff around town, haven't I?'_ She thought with a pensive frown.

Ranma opened the browser and a search engine loaded up. Its logo was a large blue circle with two eyes and the word '_Biglobe_' written on it. She entered _Sailor Senshi_ and looked at the results that came back to her.

"Hmm…"

-x-_**Kenichi**_-x-

Kenichi's eyes opened suddenly, and he stared up at the ceiling of his room as his phone blared its ringtone. He sat up and looked around the room, before climbing out of his bed and shambling over to his desk to grab the errant device. After yawning and checking the blurry caller ID, he sighed and opened it and held it up to his ear.

"Hello?" He asked.

"Band-aid."

He blinked a few times.

"Chikage-chan?" He asked.

"Yes."

He frowned.

'_What kind of answer is that..? Ah, well.' _He rubbed his eyes and sat up, then looked around the room. "Um… did you need something?"

"We are meeting today, correct?"

"Um, yeah… but…" He frowned and looked outside. It was still dark out. "Do you know what time it is?"

"This is the time I usually wake up to begin training," She said. "I did not know when we would meet, or where, so I wanted to ask."

He sighed.

"Yeah, uh… I don't know, how's ten? That should give us enough time to look around," He said. "Um, do you know where the train station is?" He asked.

"Yes."

"We'll meet there, at the entrance," He said.

"Okay."

Then she hung up.

He blinked, then shook his head and closed the phone, setting it down on his desk. He reached up and rubbed his eyes, yawning once more.

"Yeah, I should be used to waking up early too," He muttered. He opened his eyes again, but found that the blurriness was still there. Sighing, he reached down to his desk and picked up the pair of glasses there, studied them for a moment, and slid them on.

Everything was clear.

He sighed again.

"I can't believe this," He said. "How am I supposed to wear these during training?" He muttered. "They'll fall right off… this is so stupid…" He took them off again, leaving them on the desk, then stretched his arms overhead, getting the creaks out. "Let's try this again," He said as he got down on the floor. "Remedial exercises, part two…"

-x-x-x-

As Kenichi walked out of the washroom later that morning, his hair still wet from his morning bath, he passed Honoka up in the hallway and blinked, noticing that she was sweating from a work out of her own.

"Hey," He started. "You were with Miu-san?"

"Hmm? Yeah," She said. "You're up early…"

He chuckled.

"Really? What time did you wake up?"

"Four," She said. "We always start training at that time, every day."

He nodded.

"Yeah, thought so," He muttered. "Well, go take a bath before you start to stink," He said as he continued on his way.

"What are you all dressed up for?" She asked with a curious frown. "Are you going somewhere, big brother?"

"Huh? Yeah, to Juuban," He said.

"Why?"

"I'm looking for a particular Karate master," He said.

"Ooh, really? You want to learn from them?"

"Maybe," He said.

"Why not just practice with me and Sensei?" The younger teen asked with a frown. "I'm sure she'd teach you!"

He sighed.

"It's not that I doubt her skills or anything… There was someone else she recommended to me," He said. "And if I jumped into that, I would just slow your own training down," He said. "Do you really want that?"

She made a confused face.

"Really?" She asked, then frowned. "Well, but… the reason I started practicing was because… I mean… it's just better if you learn how to fight, isn't it?" She asked.

He chuckled.

"If I can't find the people she recommended to me, then I'll go to her for sure," He said. "Okay?"

She nodded, and he could tell by her expression that she fully expected that to happen.

"Okay," She said. "I'll go take a quick bath, then we can go together!" She turned around and took off towards her room.

He blinked.

"Huh?" Kenichi stared after her for a moment, then shrugged and made his way to his room. Without stopping, he walked over to his desk and picked up the pair of glasses that was lying there and put them on. As his vision focused, he sighed both in relief and annoyance. '_Well, I guess this is going to have to do…' _He turned his head to look at the clock hanging in his room. He still had an hour until he had to be at the train station. '_I guess I can start looking up some dojos or something…'_

He pulled the chair in front of his computer and turned it on. After it booted up, the screen for the password came up, and he reflexively entered the password he'd used on his own computer. When it came back negative, he frowned.

"Huh? Oh… right. Crap." He frowned, and clicked the hint, and the words _like I'd forget my own password_ appeared in the space provided for the hint, and he sighed. "Um… well, I _did. _Apparently…" He sat back in his chair and sighed. "What am I supposed to do now?"

As he thought about the situation, his eyes fell on the cell phone sitting on his desk, and he blinked a few times. He picked it up and started to cycle through the different menu options, then stopped upon finding a web browser.

'_This should do,' _He thought._ 'Even better, I don't have to print anything.'_

Only ten minutes after he started searching the net, though, his chair suddenly turned around, away from the computer desk and he found himself facing Honoka, who was grinning at him. She was fully dressed, wearing the same purple leotard as before under a striped long-sleeved shirt and a miniskirt. She'd failed to dry herself off very well and was dripping all over him.

"I'm ready!"

"Did you rush or something?" He asked, trying in vain to dodge around the droplets of water. "You're still wet!" He frowned. "That washroom better not be messy…"

"I didn't want to hold you up!" She said, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him up and out of the chair. "C'mon, c'mon, let's go!"

"Huh? Wha..." Kenichi tried in vain to resist the smaller teen's grip, and was quickly pulled off balance as she started dragging him behind her. "W, wait a second! We don't have to be at the train station until ten!"

-x-x-x-

It wasn't until they were halfway to the train station that he finally managed to calm her down enough to let go of his hand due to the fact that he didn't have the money for the train ride on him. As they started walking back, Kenichi looked down at the ever clingy younger sister. She had the gait of a definitely skilled martial artist, and, as he mentally assessed her, he found that even at his best he would have been hard pressed to engage her.

Not that he'd ever hit a girl, of course. Jujutsu was his only serious option for dealing with one, but he couldn't find any openings for any of his other styles, either.

"How did you get so strong…?" Kenichi muttered.

"I've been training with Miu sensei for the past year," She surprised him by answering the mumbled question. "Of course I'm this strong!"

He frowned.

"But, well… I mean, training can't be _all_ you do, right?"

She blinked and tilted her head and stopped walking.

"What are you getting at?"

Kenichi hmm'ed as he crossed his arms and tilted his own head while looking up.

"Good question… but basically… when I started… er… that is, something had to have prompted you to start training, right? Was someone picking on you at school or something?" She asked.

Honoka blinked.

"Well, not exactly…" She said.

"Then what made you want to get into martial arts?" He prodded. "How did you find out about Miu-san?"

"Well, one day I just happened to be walking by when I saw her get attacked by a group of ninjas," the girl said. "She beat up all of them in a few minutes and after that I begged her to teach me. She refused at first, even when I said it was to protect someone I liked, because she says her master never said she could teach yet, but when I said I'd pay her, she seemed to change her attitude right away,"

He nodded. That sounded about par for the course for Miu-

He froze and looked down at her.

"_Ninjas?!"_ When she stopped walking and nodded up at him, he worked his jaw as he tried to process that concept. "You mean _real_ ninjas? Like… assassin types?"

She nodded.

"They're pretty good too," She admitted. "Almost got us a few times."

He frowned as he processed that information. Something… something was not quite right with what she'd just said.

"_**Us?**_" He asked.

She nodded.

"It's not just ninjas, there's also vengeful martial artists and yakuza coming after us too."

"You're _involved_ in that mess?!"

She looked up at him and blinked.

"Of course I am! You and mom and dad have been kidnapped a few times before!"

He stared at her in shocked silence for a few moments.

"But… but… wha… huh? How… why…"

She shrugged.

"Well, I guess since I started learning from Miu-sensei, they decided they didn't like _me_, too," She said with a shrug. "I mean, I guess since the two of us have been able to rescue you every single time, it works out, but even though sensei says it's good training, it's starting to get annoying," She said with a sigh.

His eyes began to burn and he blinked a few times.

"Oh…" Kenichi looked away and frowned, knitting his brow. '_I get saved by my little sister? Just what kind of guy would be __**okay**__ with that!?'_

"Onii-chan?" He blinked and looked down at her, noticing she looked a bit apologetic. "I, it's not like I _mind_ or anything-"

"It's okay," He said, shaking his head. "I can understand… what kind of burden it must be." He looked down at her with a grin. "But you don't have to protect me anymore, okay? From now on, I'll protect you instead." He winked and she looked up at him in surprise, then smirked back.

"Not if I protect you first!"

He blinked.

"Huh?"

"C'mon! I'll race you!" She said before suddenly taking off.

Kenichi looked surprised for a moment, but then chuckled and quickly followed after her, as nervous sweat began to make its way down his entire body.

"Heh heh, uhh… Say, Honoka? Should we… be on the lookout for ninjas right _now_?" He called out to her.

She looked back at him with a grin.

"Silly! You're not gonna _see_ them! They're _ninjas!_"

He chuckled again as his nervous sweat intensified by several orders of a magnitude.

"Hahaha, yeah… _that's what I thought_…"

-x-x-x-

When they got to the train station, Kenichi was pleasantly surprised to see Chikage already there and waiting for him. The younger girl, who was wearing her school uniform, was already staring right at him by the time he spotted her, and he smiled and waved over at her. When she failed to react, he waved it off and started walking over to her, ducking around a few other people along the way.

"Hello," He said pleasantly.

She stared at his face.

"Glasses?" She asked.

He sighed and nodded, and she simply turned to look at Honoka.

"Big brother?" The younger girl asked, frowning. "Who is this?"

He cleared his throat.

"Honoka, this is my friend from school, Kushinada Chikage-chan," He said, gesturing her. "Chikage-chan, this is my younger sister, Honoka… eh?"

As Kenichi introduced the girls to one another, he noticed that they had locked eyes in what seemed to him like a battle of wills. Neither one blinked as Chikage's emotionless orbs bored clean holes through Honoka's narrowed ones and vice versa.

"Um… um… girls?"

When Chikage suddenly bowed to the other girl, he blinked in surprise and confusion.

"Nice to meet you." The jujutsu disciple said, and Honoka did the same with an energetic smile on her face.

"Nice to meet you too!"

He stared at them.

'_Well… that was odd,'_ He thought for a moment. He blinked and looked down at his arm and noticed that his sister had wrapped her own around it for some reason.

"Err, well, anyway," He said. "Chikage-chan is coming with us to search for the Karate master," He said.

Honoka blinked.

"You want to switch styles?"

"It's not for me." Chikage said.

"Oh." Honoka looked up at Kenichi. "So it's just for you?"

He blinked and nodded.

"Err… yeah… but, why do you ask?" He said.

"She's a jujutsu user, isn't she?" Honoka said, tilting her head.

Kenichi blinked.

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"When one reaches a certain skill level, such things become obvious," Chikage said.

Kenichi blinked.

'_Well yeah, but… you haven't done anything to indicate that you use Jujutsu yet…' _He thought, frowning. '_Or did I just miss it?'_

Both girls nodded and Chikage walked over to his free arm and, mimicking Honoka, wrapped her own around it.

He blinked.

"Chikage-chan?"

"We have much to discuss." She said, tugging on him. "Come, let us get on the train. We will talk when we reach Juuban, and are in a less populated area."

He blinked and nodded.

-x-x-x-

As the three of them walked away from the Azabu Juuban subway station, Kenichi felt a familiar vibrating sensation in his pocket and pulled his arm away from Honoka (who visibly pouted), then reached into his pocket and retrieved his cell phone. There was a message from someone named '_konakona' _demanding to know where he was.

'_Must be from that silly game,'_ He thought with a sigh as he simply re-pocketed his phone. He blinked when Honoka quickly retook his arm, but thought nothing of it.

"Band-aid."

When Chikage spoke up, he looked down at her and blinked.

"Yeah?"

"Where are we going?" She asked.

"Oh right," He muttered, taking his hand from Honoka again, who pouted once more as he retrieved his phone. "Let's see, I bookmarked the directions that my search engine generated," He said, opening the browser and retrieving those pages. "There we go. The nearest karate dojo is about three kilometers northeast of here…" He said. "Hmm… okay, we want to go that way two blocks until we're under the metropolitan expressway, and then we want to turn right at the corner…"

As they set about following the directions, Chikage relinquished his arm and looked around at the crowd of people walking about, while she and Honoka followed his lead.

"Now is as good a time as any, I guess," Kenichi said as he looked down at Chikage. "You had something to talk to me about?"

She nodded.

"I did some research on the internet last night," She said, glancing at Honoka. "Is it alright…?"

He blinked, then looked down at Honoka, who was looking at the two of them.

"Hmm?" The younger Shirahama asked, tilting her head.

"Err, sure," Kenichi said. "What did you find out?

Chikage nodded.

"The changes to this world far exceeded my expectations," She said. "Most significant is the confirmation of the existence of demons in this world."

He blinked.

"Demons?"

She nodded.

"Monsters, Mazoku, Oni, Youkai, whatever you'd like to call them, they're very real in this world." She said. "And there is a magical girl team that hunts them down. More than one actually, but I found one in particular to be noteworthy."

He stared at her.

"This is a joke, right?" He asked with a furrowed brow.

She shook her head.

"What are you talking about?" Honoka asked. "The Sailor Senshi?"

"Oh, we're, uh, writing a science fiction story for a class of hers," Kenichi said.

"Really?" She frowned. "I don't get it."

"That's okay," He said, patting her head. "Chikage-chan is a genius. Most of what she says goes over my head too," He said with a chuckle. "I'm sure it'll make for an interesting story."

"You should not look so pleased when you say that, being several years older than me," Chikage pointed out.

"_Hahaha_," Kenichi chuckled again, rather forcefully that time. "More importantly, we're almost to the corner," He said as they walked under the expressway bridge. The sound of cars driving by overhead echoed around them.

"To continue," Chikage began, "The Yami of this world has incorporated several such creatures into their ranks. Naturally, they accept only the strongest members of either human or mazoku races. They are capable of wielding supernatural abilities beyond anything I've ever encountered before."

Honoka looked up at the mention of Yami, but said nothing, while Kenichi grimaced.

"Seriously?"

Chikage nodded.

"This is not a joke," She said.

Kenichi just shook his head.

"Wait, wait a second," he said. "Where exactly did you find all this out? An _anime?_"

She shook her head.

"The Internet."

Kenichi stopped walking to stare at her, and she returned the gesture while Honoka merely kept walking.

"Is it so hard to believe that such creatures and other supernatural phenomena exist in this world that has changed its shape down to the core?" She asked, looking at him. "And that said changes themselves were of supernatural origin?"

Kenichi sighed.

"Sorry if I say I'll have to see one for myself…" He said with a shake of his head. "Before I'm convinced there's _demons_ and _magical_ _girls_…"

She turned and continued walking, and he shrugged and followed after her.

-x-_**Usagi**_-x-

Chibi-Usa sat cross-legged beside her mother on the couch before the Tsukino residence's television, TV remote in one hand and a bag of chips in the other.

"Mehhh," She changed the current channel a few times and Shingo sighed from his position on the floor.

"Can we just play a game?" The youngest Tsukino in the room demanded.

"No way, there's gotta be _something_ good on," Chibi-Usa said.

"Whatever," Shingo said with a sigh as he stood up and started walking away. "I'm gonna go play my DS. Come get me when you stop being stupid."

"That's nice," Chibi-Usa said without the least bit of interest as she flipped through channel after channel. "Is there really _nothing_?" She asked with a drawn out sigh.

"You know, if you keep snacking like that, you're gonna gain weight," Usagi said as she strained to look at her daughter from where she was lounging, with Luna lying on top of her. "Didn't we just eat breakfast?"

"Says the expert on gaining weight," Chibi-Usa said as she put a chip in her mouth.

"What was that?" Usagi demanded as she struggled to sit up, inadvertently dropping her poor cat onto the floor with a thud.

"You heard me," Chibi-Usa said, narrowing her eyes at the other girl.

"Grr…" Usagi growled and considered retribution, but decided it would be too much effort and settled for glaring at her. "Fine then, I won't take you with me to the park when we go watch the eclipse."

"You can't stop me from going," Chibi-Usa pointed out.

"If I just give you more snacks, you'll be too busy pigging out to notice me leave," Usagi said as she went back to lounging.

Chibi-Usa narrowed her eyes even further at the other girl and stopped changing the channel.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah re-Ow!" She blinked and looked down at her foot at the sudden stinging pain to see Luna biting her big toe. "What was _that_ for!?"

Luna simply snorted and walked towards a spot of sunlight beneath the window.

"You're both being petty," She said.

"So bite her too!" Usagi growled out.

Luna looked at her, then harrumphed and turned her nose up at the teen before lying down. Chibi-Usa chuckled as her mother continued to growl at the cat, but did nothing else.

"…_bothersome thing is, real or not, as it is impossible to contact them, the Sailor Senshi may as well be an urban legend, even if most of the residents of Juuban and nearby districts and wards know otherwise." _

The two senshi blinked as they turned to look at the television. There was a scene with amateur footage taken of the Sailor Senshi fighting a daemon or youma some time ago, with the captions "_Paranormal Investigation: Urban legends in Tokyo" _On the bottom.

"Ooh, ooh, I love when they do these exposés," Usagi said, clapping her hands. "Leave it on, leave it on!"

Chibi-Usa shrugged and continued eating chips as the voice over continued.

"_Even though the Senshi are incredibly popular and have garnered much fandom, with published amateur doujinshi and even video games dedicated in their honor, very few people have actually seen them up close, and so a question remains. Just who are these women, prancing around in racy school-girl clothing and throwing around these dangerously powerful magic spells?" _

The footage changed to Sailor Mars attacking a strange, dog-like creature that neither of them recognized. Both did a fair amount of property damage in the footage, which looked like it'd been captured on a camera phone.

"When did that happen?" Usagi muttered, frowning. "I've never seen anything like that…"

"_Some believe they are secret government agents, and others, part of an entire underground magic society. Yet others believe, based on their names, that they are aliens; proof that life exists on other planets, and the sailor senshi are their representatives."_

Both teens sniggered at the suggestion as outer space imagery started to scroll across the screen.

"They're technically right…" Luna pointed out without raising her head. "…ish."

"Bah, that doesn't apply to us _now_," Usagi responded. "_You_, on the other hand…"

"…_And their enemies as well remain a mystery. The source and nature of the creatures they are known to fight is entirely unknown, and a cause for worry for all true believers. That is just one of many reasons why people wish for the Senshi to be more public with their methods and intentions. On the other hand, as they themselves are also guilty of large amounts of property destruction, there are some who want them to be directly responsible."_

Usagi gulped.

"There's no way we could pay for any of that…" She muttered.

"_And there are those with other concerns."_

The image changed to a balding man sitting in an office. A subtitle identified him by name.

"_How can we be sure they're taking care of every single bizarre creature that appears in this city? Certainly not all of them are as flashy and destructive as the ones that attack people in broad daylight for whatever reason they do. It is a very real possibility that there are some more discreet than others, who go about their business where the Senshi cannot reach them. They are not omnipotent, and they could only benefit from being part of a fully funded government program, which would be able to call them whenever they were necessary – not whenever they were lucky enough to be around._"

Usagi tilted her head as she considered that.

'_Hmm… funded by the government? That'd mean we get paid, right?' _A small smile grew on her face.

"Hah, if that was the case then they would have some way of dealing with it already," Chibi-Usa snorted. "We're not the only people who can use magic in the world."

Usagi blinked.

"We're not?" She asked, looking at her daughter.

Chibi-Usa only frowned.

"What? No, of course not! We're just the most _powerful _mages around," she said. "There are tons of other magic users. Of course they tend to keep to themselves for the same reasons as us, but they're _there_."

Usagi tilted her head and narrowed her eyes in confusion.

"Huh. Really?" She frowned. "Why wasn't I ever told this?" She mumbled, glancing at her cat.

"It was never deemed necessary," Luna said without opening her eyes.

"Why not?" Usagi demanded.

"No particular reason," The cat responded. "You're already busy enough as it is. There's no need to bog you down with the details of magic society on Earth," She said.

Usagi blinked.

"Well,_ that's _true…" She muttered. "Still, if there are other people who can use magic… what _kind_ of magic can they use?" She asked, looking at Chibi-Usa. "Are they wizards and witches? Could we meet some?"

"All kinds," The pinkette said. "Yes, and I don't care, but don't ask me to introduce any. I wouldn't know where to find them."

Usagi frowned.

"Well _that's _helpful," she muttered.

There was a beeping noise, and she looked down at a cellphone lying on the floor.

"Who is it?" Chibi-Usa asked, turning to look at her mother's phone.

"It's a text from Ami-chan," The blonde said, picking up her phone. She frowned. "She's calling for a meeting."

Chibi-Usa raised an eyebrow.

"A meeting? Senshi business?"

The blonde nodded.

"Weren't we going to meet up anyway?" The pink haired girl asked.

Usagi nodded again.

"We were going to go watch the eclipse at a park," she said. "But I guess we'll be doing more than that."

-x-_**Yusuke**_-x-

Yusuke walked along the sidewalk of a mostly empty street with a frown. Everyone he passed by _openly_ stared at him as he did, and the reason was obvious; The only thing he was wearing - a thin hospital gown - was tied shut with only two flimsy strings in the back.

'_You know, I'm beginning to think they did this on purpose. They're probably sitting somewhere laughing __**right**__**now**__. Yuk it up while you can, bastards. I'm going to kick your faces in the next time I see you.'_

He looked around as he walked, growing more and more confused. The area wasn't at all familiar to him; all he knew was that he was in a business district in Azabu Juuban of the Minato ward.

"So this is a world where I never became a spirit detective, hmm?" He muttered. '_Hmm… I wonder what else has been changed… I live in Juuban in this world. I've got to find someone I know and figure out what it's like here for me… or even what my situation is.' _He shook his head and sighed. '_I wonder how Keiko's doing… What the hell kind of bullshit brought this on, anyway? And what demon even has the power to do something like this? Or was it Reikai?'_

He frowned.

'_Hmm… this area looks a __**little **__familiar…'_ He stopped walking before an alleyway between two buildings to look around.

"You gotta be kiddin' me…"

On hearing a voice, he turned to look into the alleyway and immediately recognized two of the gangsters he'd fought the previous day standing there and looking at him. One of them was wearing a leather jacket over a white t-shirt and jeans, and the other one wore a school uniform similar to the one he'd worn the previous day.

"They just let you out the hospital?" The thug wearing the leather jacket asked with a look of amusement on his face.

The other thug sniggered.

"H, he just couldn't wait to come back for another _beating_,"

Yusuke looked around, then smiled.

"Yup!" He said with a grin. "That's right. I'm all healed up, and I'm back for more!"

He stepped into the alleyway.

"Back for more?"

The two thugs laughed.

Yusuke nodded.

"Yeah, see," He began. "Before I was a great and powerful demon and one of the kings of the underworld, or even a spirit detective, I was just a delinquent with a reputation for kicking too much ass. Since it looks like I'm not a powerful demon anymore I guess I'll just have to go back to that."

The two thugs stared at him, then burst out laughing.

"I think we hit him too hard. This kid's gone nuts!" The uniformed teen blurted.

"P-powerful _demon!_" The other added.

"King of the _underworld!" _Yusuke added, joining in with the laughing and walking towards them.

The moment he was in range, he slammed his fist into the uniformed teen's face, eliciting a painful sounding crunch. The other thug noticed this and his laughing quickly slowed down to a stop as Yusuke savagely punched the uniformed thug in the nose two more times, then uppercut him in the chin. The uniformed teen screamed as he fell backwards, clutching his bleeding face.

"You little shit!"

Yusuke turned to face the other teen and noticed that the he'd pulled a chain and was preparing to swing it at him. He ducked under the swing and grabbed the man's extended arm with both hands and viciously pulled him closer before slamming his opponent's elbow over his knee. The man cried out in pain, and when Yusuke repeated his attack, the young man shrieked in horror as his arm snapped at the joint.

"Fuck! _Fuck!_"

Yusuke dropped the man to the ground and watched him cradle his arm while screaming obscenities. A glance at the uniformed teen showed that he was still crying and clutching his face.

"Listen up _you little shits_," Yusuke said. "You tell your boss that this is Urameshi Yusuke's town now."

"You fucker!" The teen in the jacket yelled. "Fuck you!"

Yusuke slammed his foot into the boy's face, sending his head crashing into a wall.

"No, fuck _you._"

The other teen only slumped down on the ground in response, unmoving.

"Well look at that. Glass jaw." Yusuke turned to look at the other teen, who was staring at him in horror while still clutching his face. Yusuke smiled at him as he began to disrobe the unconscious teen. "Remember what I said!"

A minute later, he walked out of the alleyway with a new outfit and two wallets in hand.

"Smells like shit, but it beats wearing a sheet." He muttered. "Hmm…" He opened one of the wallets and took all of the cash out of it, then dropped it on the sidewalk and stuffed it in the other wallet, which he pocketed. He blinked and looked down at his pocket, then pulled out a pack of cigarettes. "Now I've got to find my house and figure out a way to keep cash coming in…" He muttered.

-x-_**Haruka**_-x-

On a crowded street, Tenou Haruka stood leaning on her parked car and staring down at her cell phone. She was wearing a lavender blazer over a slightly darker dress shirt and matching slacks and dress shoes. Michiru sat inside the convertible, in the passenger's seat, humming a tune to herself and watching people walk by. She wore a faded blue sundress and designer sandals. Both teens were wearing sunglasses.

"It's twelve," The blonde said.

"Mm. She should be here soon then," Michiru said. After a car drove by, she opened the door and got out of her seat, then closed the door behind her and began walking around to the sidewalk. "I talked to Mizuno earlier."

Haruka raised an eyebrow.

"Did they find out anything?"

"Mm. Yes and no," the teal haired teen said as she stopped beside her girlfriend. "She said she would explain it to us in detail at the park."

Haruka slipped her phone into a pocket and crossed her arms.

"I see." She looked up and down the street. "Say… what do you think about Setsuna?"

Michiru looked over at her.

"She's certainly tenacious." The Senshi of Neptune said. "Though I suppose, given her domain, it's to be expected. She got us out of there, there's no reason to assume she couldn't have escaped that explosion as well."

Haruka nodded.

"I'd assumed there would be some repercussion for using a forbidden ability, but I guess it's not something we should be concerned with." She said. "We're only soldiers, after all."

"That princess is a bit too kind for her own good, perhaps." She said. "Given there is no queen at the moment, I'm assuming any punishment would fall onto her to mete out. I doubt anything happened, really."

Haruka nodded again.

"A bit naïve as well," She said. "Still, based on our earlier assessment, I'd say she's growing up. I just hope it doesn't take world class disasters for her to mature more."

Michiru giggled.

"That would be rather inconvenient."

"Yo!"

They both turned to see Ranma walking towards them and waving. They blinked on noticing the other girl was wearing only yoga pants and a sports bra; she didn't even have shoes on. She was dripping with sweat and had a slight limp in her step.

"Hey you," Haruka said, standing up. "You alright?"

"Yeah," Ranma said, panting lightly. "I'll be fine."

Michiru looked at her with concern.

"Are you sure?"

Ranma waved it off.

"Oh yeah, yeah. Just need to catch my breath. So uh, where do we go from here? You said there's a park around here?" The redhead asked.

Michiru nodded.

"The Senshi's representative was going to meet us there." She said.

Ranma frowned.

"We're not going to actually meet the Senshi?"

Michiru smiled.

"Sorry. Did you think we were?"

Ranma shrugged.

"Well I thought we would," She said. "Does it matter though?"

Haruka shook her head.

"The people we're going to see have direct access to the Senshi's information network," She said. "Some of their most trusted associates. It wouldn't be any different from meeting the Senshi themselves."

Ranma nodded.

"Then I guess it works out," She said with a shrug. "So which way?"

-x-_**Usagi**_-x-

Two Usagis walked side by side along a crowded side walk, with a small black cat trotting alongside them. One blonde, one pinkette.

"Lots of people are turning up to watch the eclipse," Luna said.

"Mmhmm," Usagi said in agreement. "The park is supposed to be one of the better vantage points in the city. It's on a hill and the taller buildings aren't close enough to get in the way. Do either of you have an idea what it was Ami-chan wanted to talk about?"

"Don't look at me, I just got here." Chibi-Usa said.

"Hmm… I'm sure it's related to that classmate you all investigated yesterday," Luna said. "Ami-chan said there were time-rifts forming all over, right?"

Usagi nodded.

"Then it's probably that."

Chibi-Usa blinked.

"Time rifts?"

"She called them… space-time schisms I think?" Usagi said. "I donno."

"Huh." The pink haired Usagi frowned. "Why haven't I heard anything about that?"

Luna looked up.

"Didn't you say that some of your memories had been sealed?" She asked. "Regarding what it was you were to undertake, so that you wouldn't be influenced by your knowledge of the outcome?"

The time traveler nodded.

"Yes, but… rifts in _time _could impact my… place here," She said. "So I should be the _first_ to know if anything is wrong."

Usagi shrugged.

"It must not be important," She said with a shrug.

The three of them crossed a street and arrived at their destination. The park was on a grassy knoll with a variety of trees scattered about. Enclosed by a brick fence, there were several entrances with dirt paths that lead inside. Wooden benches dotted the dirt paths, and they could see a large pond with a willow tree standing on an island in the center. Groups of people sat on picnic cloths around the park, talking amongst themselves. Most of them had sunglasses or something similar to block the effects of the coming total eclipse.

"You should see it during cherry blossom season." Usagi said, looking at her daughter.

"I _have_," The pinkette reminded her.

Usagi blinked.

"Oh. Well come on, let's look for the others."

They made their way into the park and walked along one of the paths, both looking around for familiar faces.

"There," Usagi said, pointing towards a tall tree. Several groups were spread out beneath it, and a group of familiar faces sat on a blanket.

The group noticed them at the same time.

"Hey! Usagi!"

Both Usagis waved in response and walked over to join them. All of the inner Senshi were present, wearing various casual outfits, and each with a pair of sunglasses on their heads. Artemis was sitting on the blanket next to Minako.

"About time," Rei said, looking up at the two of them with slight annoyance. "What took you guys so long?"

Usagi frowned.

"Hey, we didn't take that long,"

"Well, you weren't quick enough for my tastes," The senshi of mars said.

Usagi rolled her eyes.

"You're just complaining," She said as she and her daughter sat down with them. Luna walked over to sit next to the other moon cat. "So, Ami-chan. You said we were going to talk Senshi business?"

The bluenette nodded.

"I'd rather wait until everyone was here, though, so that I don't have to repeat myself." She sighed. "We have… a lot to discuss."

The Usagis shared a look.

"_That_ doesn't sound good," The blonde Usagi said with a frown. "Is it related to what we did yesterday?"

Ami nodded.

"Remember that classmate Kaiou-san told me about before?" She asked.

Four of the Senshi nodded.

"You said she claimed to have been kidnapped or something, and that buildings weren't where she'd said they'd been, or something." Makoto said.

Chibi-Usa blinked.

"This is the first I've heard about this," She said. "What are you all talking about?"

Ami looked up at her.

"Two nights ago, Sailor Neptune sent me a text message about a new classmate of hers," She said. "A girl named Fujibayashi Teriha, calling herself Saotome Ranma. She claimed to have woken up one day and all of the details of the world had been shifted around her. People and buildings weren't where she remembered them to be, and those that were, were different. No one in the neighborhood she claimed to live in recognized her. Her own body and personal history was also altered."

Chibi-Usa blinked.

"Sounds pretty bad." She said.

"Mm. In any event, I've gathered evidence that suggests she is telling the truth." She said.

Minako raised an eyebrow.

"About remembering things differently?"

Ami shook her head.

"No, about things having been changed."

The five girls all stared at her.

"What do you mean?" Artemis asked.

Ami sighed.

"There is no easy way to say this," she said. "But that girl, Ranma, is right. I'll explain everything when she, Neptune and Uranus arrive."

"Yo!"

They and several people around them all turned at the shout to see the handsome Haruka and the elegant Michiru walking with a sweaty pig-tailed girl wearing a sporty jogging outfit.

"Speak of the devil," Ami said.

"And the devil shall leave," Minako said with a sagely nod.

Ami sighed, while the other girls all waved at the approaching trio.

"Hello ladies." Haruka said when the three of them stopped beside them.

"Hello to you as well," Usagi said with a smile. "I'd thought we wouldn't be seeing you two again so soon."

Haruka chuckled.

"The truth is, we decided to stay here, after all." She said.

"Oh my," Michiru said, looking down at Chibi-Usa. "Seeing you here with the rest of them, I recognize you now. You're Chibi-Usa, aren't you?"

Chibi-Usa chuckled.

"Yup."

Haruka blinked.

"_Chibi-chan?_" The blonde did a double take. "That's one hell of a growth spurt, kid."

Chibi-Usa giggled.

"It should have been _obvious_," the pinkette said.

Haruka shrugged.

"I figured you were an imposter," She said.

"_Ahem_…"

Everyone turned to look at the pig-tailed girl.

"Oh. Where are my manners," Michiru said. "Everyone, this is Ranma."

Ranma waved.

"Hey," She said. "So you girls… work with the Sailor Senshi?"

Ami nodded.

"That's correct," She said. "I'm Mizuno Ami, I manage their information network."

Ranma nodded.

"Neat. What about the rest of you?"

"Hino Rei," Rei said. "I'm a Miko… I… provide them with spiritual guidance!" She said with a grin.

"Kino Makoto," the Senshi of Jupiter said. "I keep them well fed."

"Aino Minako, at your service!" The Senshi of Venus said. "I'm, ah… their image consultant!"

Ranma blinked.

"So _you're_ the one who told them to dress up in sailor fuku?"

It was Minako's turn to blink.

"Errr… well, it works, doesn't it?"

Ranma shook her head.

"Well, it's definitely… I donno, it just seems like professional demon hunters should wear something more functional, ya know?"

Minako frowned.

"You don't like the fuku?"

Ranma shrugged.

"_Ehhh… _mehhh…"

She shrugged wider, and Minako's frown deepened.

"I can see where you're coming from, but in relation to combat, the senshi's uniform designs are irrelevant," Ami said. "They are protected by magic; the material and design of what they wear and what is covered up doesn't matter."

Ranma blinked.

"Really? Nifty. So they could pretty much wear whatever they want?"

Ami nodded.

"Which is where Minako-chan comes in," She said. "The fuku are rather eye-catching and I'd be lying if I said that the Senshi would have the same amount of publicity if they wore something more like… say, a suit of armor."

Ranma nodded as well.

"Good point…" She looked down at the Usagis. "What do you two do?"

"Eat up all the food and read up all the manga," Rei said with a snort.

"Hey!" Usagi snapped. "I share manga with you too!"

"Now now," Ami said. "This isn't the time for this, girls." She looked back up at Ranma and the two outer Senshi.

"Ami-chan's right," Minako said. "Anyway. Last, but not least, these two furballs are Artemis and Luna," She said, gesturing the two cats sitting beside her. "Say hi, Artemis!"

Artemis ran a paw over his face.

"Nya~n."

Ranma stared at the two cats in stark horror.

"C-c…"

Luna stood up and walked over to the redhead, and looked up at her.

"Nyaa~aan."

Ranma stumbled backwards, sheer terror overwhelming her facial features.

"_**C-c-cat! It's a cat!**_"

She turned and scrambled to sprint away at top speed.

Everyone stared after her.

"Oh dear," Michiru began. "Perhaps she is afraid of cats?"

"I'd say that sounds about right," Haruka said. "I'll be right back. Sorry."

Everyone watched as the blonde took off after the redhead.

"I'm sorry everyone, if I'd known, I'd have said something." Michiru said, sitting down with them.

Both Luna and Artemis looked confused.

"What did we do?" Artemis asked, his ears sagging. "I thought I was putting out my best appeal!"

"Nothing," Ami said. "She's probably just afraid of cats in general."

Usagi frowned.

"How can you be scared of cats?" She picked up Luna and began scratching behind her ear. "They're so cute!"

"It's just something…" Luna's talking was interrupted by a deep, throaty purr, but she managed to continue after a few seconds. "…that we'll have to deal with for now. Artemis and I can sit at a distance and listen to the conversation from afar. We have good ears."

Usagi frowned.

"But you shouldn't have to…"

"Unfortunately, we do," The moon cat said with a sigh. "It's not a big deal. Right Artemis?"

The white cat shook his head.

"I think we'll manage. Don't worry about us," He stood up. "Come on, let's go."

Luna hopped out of Usagi's arms and followed him away.

"So," Makoto began, looking over at Michiru. "Since you two _are_ staying here in Juuban, maybe we could… get together sometime?"

Michiru smiled at her.

"Perhaps, if our schedules allow for it." She said.

The inner Senshi all smiled at that.

"After all, I'd feel more comfortable knowing the princess had _positive_ influences in her life." The teal trussed teen said.

Ami chuckled, while Minako and Makoto both frowned.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" The blonde demanded.

Michiru let out a soft titter.

"Oh, nothing. Please, don't take this the wrong way, but, Haruka and I aren't exactly planning to work with you all on a permanent basis. Understand, that isn't our job," She said. "We have duties of our own to attend to."

Usagi nodded with a serious expression.

"I understand," She said. "And if they weren't important, you wouldn't have been given them. Still, I do hope you'll continue to indulge us with your presences from time to time?"

Michiru smiled again.

"Of course, princess."

"They're back," Rei announced.

Everyone looked up to see Haruka leading Ranma back towards the group by the hand. Ranma was still visibly shaking, even from a distance, and warily looking around.

"S-sorry about that," The red-head said. "I… I don't like c-c-c… c-c… those furry creatures very much. Th, they're not still here, are they?"

Ami shook her head.

"They're gone," She said. "Far away from here."

Ranma sighed with visible relief.

"Oh man," she said. "that's just what I needed to hear."

Ami nodded.

"Please, sit down. We have much to discuss."

"I'm really, really sorry about that," Ranma said, sitting down next to Usagi. Haruka walked over to sit down next to Michiru. "I didn't even let you guys finish your introductions…"

Ami shook her head.

"Don't worry about it," she said. "Usagi and… Usagi are the only ones left, if I recall."

Ranma blinked.

"Usagi and Usagi?" She looked over at both of them and raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Are you two twins?"

Usagi snorted.

"No way, we're… uh, cousins."

Ranma nodded.

"The resemblance is really strong," She said.

Both girls blushed.

"Err… thank you…" They both trailed off and stared at each other.

Suddenly, Chibi-Usa frowned.

"Wait, wait. We just met and already you're insulting me? Do I really look as fat as this girl?"

Usagi's jaw dropped and Rei snickered at the comment, but Ranma blinked.

"Fat?" She asked, confused. "She's not fat. She's not even chubby!"

Usagi smirked.

"_Thank_ you!"

"Girls, please," Ami said. "You can play-fight later. For now…"

"Oh, right," Ranma asked. "Why are you both named Usagi and what do you do for the Senshi? You're all their associates, right?" She said, looking slightly confused.

"Family tradition," Chibi-Usa said. "As for what we do… err…" She looked over at her mother for help.

Usagi only blinked.

"Err…"

"They're the mascots." Haruka said.

"Yeah!" Usagi said. "Yup. That's me! I'm the cute mascot!"

"_I_ am the _cutest_ mascot," Chibi-Usa said.

"Ladies, please." Haruka said. "Anyway, If you must know, Michiru and I supply them with funding. Can we get started now?"

"Indeed," Michiru said. "What exactly are we here to discuss?"

Ami sighed and took a deep breath.

"Alright. As we all know, Saotome-san here woke up on Friday and noticed that the world around her had changed substantially. Nothing was where or how it should have been. It was as if she'd woken up in an alternate reality."

Ranma blinked.

"Hey, that's a pretty good summary."

"Indeed. That's because that's exactly what happened," Ami said.

Everyone stared at her.

"Come again?" Usagi said.

"Saotome Ranma-san is not from this reality," Ami said. "And neither are we."

They continued to stare at her in a stunned silence, so she continued.

"Two days ago, my computer began detecting schisms in the fabric of space-time. These schisms have since rippled out from their origin point near Kyoto to the rest of the country. They have rapidly accelerated since my first detection, spreading out across the planet and out into space. What I didn't realize at the time was that these ruptures were the result of someone altering history."

Haruka narrowed her eyes.

"Altering history?" She said. "But that should be impossible. Sailor Pluto is supposed to ensure that such things don't happen."

Ami nodded.

"I had wondered about that as well," She said. "But for whatever reason, it _did_ happen. I'm not sure who caused it or why, but as a result, the world we're in now is not our home reality."

Ranma frowned.

"Well that'd explain things…" She muttered.

"Hmm…"

Everyone turned to look at Michiru.

"To what extent has history been altered?" She asked, looking at the other blue-haired teen. "And why weren't we affected like Ranma?"

"Better yet," Haruka began, "Why wasn't Ranma affected like everyone else?"

Ami shook her head.

"On an individual level, we were protected. As for why our situations haven't changed as drastically as Saotome-san's, that's only true on the surface." Ami said. "As for Saotome-san-"

"Just Ranma is alright," The redhead said, holding up a hand.

Ami nodded.

"Ranma, then," She said. "I'm not sure." She reached down into a small cloth bag lying on the ground and pulled out the Mercury Computer, which she then flipped open. "I haven't had the opportunity to get a good scan." She tapped a few keys and set it down. "It's scanning right now, so perhaps we'll have some answers in a moment."

She blinked when her computer began beeping. She looked down at it and picked it up.

"Is it done already?" Usagi asked.

"No. The total eclipse will be happening in a minute," She said. "I suppose we should watch for it?"

They all put their sunglasses on, while Ranma looked down at the ground in silent contemplation, and Usagi noticed her lack of sunglasses.

"You don't have sunglasses?"

Ranma shook her head, but waved a hand.

"It's no big deal," she said. "I didn't come here to see it anyway."

Usagi shrugged, and the Senshi all looked up.

"Where was I?" Ami asked.

"You were telling us about the extent of the alterations to history," Haruka said.

"Hm? Ah, yes…" She frowned. "It wasn't very easy to notice at first. Most of what we know is the same as it's always been," She said. "Milestones in history are the same; however, our own personal histories are what're different. It's just not as obvious as with Saoto- err, _Ranma_."

Haruka blinked.

"Our own personal histories?"

Ami nodded.

"I noticed logs of battles and enemies in my computer that I could not recall having taken." she said. "It was all very detailed information, too, written exactly the way that I'd have done it. Apparently, _youkai _have been indiscriminately attacking people since before the Sailor Senshi appeared."

Everyone looked down at her.

"Unlike any of… _their_ other foes, these youkai don't seem to have any real unified, overarching purpose or organization. Some of them just attack at random, while others have small, crime-centered organizations and petty schemes that allow them to consume humans and/or souls," She said. "This race of creatures living in the shadows of our society has been injected into our world overnight."

Ranma frowned.

"An entire race?"

Ami considered her statement.

"I wouldn't consider them a single race," She said. "There are many variations, many of them more similar to animals than humans, while others are similar to creatures of legend. Also, my computer detected the existence of a gate to an alternate dimension, where these creatures seem to be coming from. There are several of them all over the world, and for some reason, even a few inactive on Mars and the Moon, but most importantly, one is right here in Juuban." she said.

Ranma's frown only deepened.

"The _Moon_? _Mars?_" She frowned. "Why Mars? And how did your computer detect something like _that?_"

Ami blinked.

"Well… It's… very powerful."

Ranma blinked, but accepted that.

"Oh."

The inner Senshi all sighed in relief.

"As for why they're on Mars, I can't be sure. The gates are all sealed, but the seal has weakened to the point that weak demonic entities have been able to slip through. The computer is only able to detect them for that instant; once they're here, they disappear from the scans. There it goes," She said, pointing up.

Everyone but Ranma looked up, though Usagi did so with a frown. Light dimmed all around them as the sun was blocked out by the moon.

"That's no good," the blonde said. "That whole youkai thing, I mean."

Haruka sighed.

"Sounds like we've got our work cut out for us."

Ami nodded.

"There haven't been any reports of _major_ demon attacks, comparable to Metalia or Pharaoh Ninety or anything of the sort, but I have a feeling that it's only a matter of time," she said. "The cracks in the seals are widening, slowly but surely."

"Then we need to figure out how to fix them," Haruka said.

"There's also the fact that these new demons are apparently not as flamboyant as the enemies the Senshi have encountered before." Michiru pointed out.

"Indeed," Haruka said. "Can you get any information on the seal? Is it possible that… the _Senshi _can use their magic to improve it?"

Ami nodded.

"I left the computer on to scan it last night, but I've yet to look over the data. I'll begin doing so when we're done here."

Haruka nodded.

"That sounds good to me. Keep us informed."

Ami nodded.

"What about your scans on, uh, me?" Ranma asked. "And have you been able to find other people like us? Who… aren't from this universe?"

Ami shook her head.

"So far, I've not noticed anything to indicate when someone is from our world," She said with a shake of her head. "I'll check the data from your scans when we're done here as well. I'm hoping there will be something that will help us identify others like us."

"Ah… alright," Ranma said.

"Do you have any ideas how we can correct this?" Haruka asked. "If it's a matter of history being altered, then Sailor Pluto should be able to fix it. Or rather, it should already _be_ fixed."

Ami nodded.

"Aside from that, we have no way to contact Sailor Pluto." She said.

"Puu? I can talk to her," Chibi-Usa said.

"Hmm… I believe we can get a hold of her as well," Haruka said.

"Then perhaps you can call her to the next Senshi meeting?" Ami said. "Hopefully she'll have some answers on the matter."

"We'll make sure she's there," Michiru said.

Ranma whistled.

"These Senshi girls must trust you guys a lot," she said. "Is that why you were all protected? Did they use some kind of magic on you?"

Ami blinked, but nodded.

"Precisely," she said. "Though the Senshi weren't aware of the alterations as they happened, either. It's passive magic."

"Huh." Ranma frowned. "Well… what can _I_ do?"

Ami shook her head.

"Unfortunately, it seems there isn't anything you _can_ do," Ami said. "Unless you have the ability to correct these alterations to history, you'd probably be safest just trying to adjust to the changes until things are fixed."

Ranma's frown deepened.

"What? Are you kidding?" She demanded. "Do you expect me to just sit around and twiddle my thumbs or something?"

Ami sighed.

"Do you have the ability to travel through time and fix this problem at the root?" She asked.

Ranma paused.

"Well… no, but…"

"Then like I said, your only real option is to wait. I'm sorry, but…" she shrugged. "That's how it is."

Ranma frowned.

"No way," she said. "There's… there's got to be some way I can help. I can do something, like all of you are," she insisted. "I have money in this new world… I can investigate stuff," She said. "And if this Pluto person can't help us, then I can look into rumors or legends about time traveling magic," She said. "Yeah… I know some people-" She paused. "Well, I _might_ know some people who have extensive knowledge regarding magic, and that might include time travel."

Ami looked down at her.

"You've dealt with magic before?" She asked.

Ranma nodded.

"Oh yeah… lots of magic, almost all of it bad," she said with a long-suffering sigh. "And well, once I get back into shape, I can help fight the demons," She said.

Haruka laughed.

"Fight demons?" She repeated. "You really think you can fight demons?"

Ranma frowned.

"I've done it before," she said. "Demons, dragons, phoenixes… a few ghosts… I guess you could call Taro a Gyuuki…" She muttered. "Anyway I've fought my fair share of demons and such, and came out on top! I'm sure once the Senshi see what I can do, they'll beg me to help them fight," She said with a snort.

Everyone stared at her.

"_Beg? _Get real," Rei snorted.

"Yeah," Minako said a frown. "The senshi don't need help. W… they get along just fine! They've saved Earthat leastthree times!"

Ranma blinked.

"Earth?"

Ami nodded.

"At the end of the day, the enemies of the Senshi are generally genocidal otherworldly creatures whose power is on a scale unlike anything you just mentioned," She said. "They're more comparable to gods. Not to disparage your achievements, but the Senshi have defeated far worse."

Ranma stared at her.

"H…huh… you don't say…" She muttered. "Gods… huh…"

Ami nodded.

"Your sentiment is appreciated, but I'm sure the Senshi will be able to handle this situation," she said. "We'll let you know how things develop. In the meantime…" She trailed off when the world suddenly brightened up. Those who were not looking up quickly did. "Looks like the eclipse is over."

Ranma frowned, but said nothing.

Ami's computer started beeping and they all looked down at it.

"What is it, Ami-chan?" Usagi asked.

The bluenette picked her computer up and looked it over. She absently pushed her sunglasses up off of her head and her eyes widened as she scanned the readouts on her screen.

"I… I'm detecting a huge build-up of youki," she said. "This isn't just some demon. It's… it's very large, and very powerful," She said.

Everyone looked at her with sudden alarm.

"Is it coming through that gate you mentioned?" Haruka demanded.

"Yes and no," Ami said. "Part of it is coming through the gate, but other parts of it are coming in from all over the city." She quickly tapped several keys on her computer. "All of these other parts have energy signatures that match what my scans picked up earlier. They're all fusing into one entity now, though. I see… it sent out bits and pieces of itself through the gaps in the seal, and now they're reforming into the original."

Haruka and Michiru stood up immediately, and the other Senshi all caught on and stood up as well. Ranma looked up at them all in surprise.

"Where is it?" Usagi demanded.

"Right there," Ami said, pointing towards some skyscrapers in the distance.

-x-_**Kenichi**_-x-

"That's the fourth one," Kenichi said with a sigh as he, Chikage, and Honoka sat down on a bench along the side of a busy street. Tall glass monoliths reached up into the sky all around them and the sun, still mostly obscured by the moon, shone down on them.

Honoka patted her brother on the back.

"Don't worry," She said. "I'm sure we'll find your sensei before the day is over."

Chikage noticed her actions and mimicked them, awkwardly clapping him on the shoulder. She remained patting his shoulder long after Honoka stopped, eventually earning a confused look from the two siblings. She only offered them her usual indifferent stare.

"…Is this not the correct response?" She asked after a moment.

"You don't have to do it so long," Kenichi said with a sigh.

She stopped.

"Anyway," Kenichi said. "At least we got to see the eclipse." He stood up and stretched his arms over his head. "I'd rather be training, but since we're here we should keep looking."

Honoka stood up as well, and both of them looked down at Chikage, who remained sitting.

"Chikage-chan? Are you ready to go?"

Chikage quickly hopped up to her feet.

"I sense something dark," She said, staring at the street.

Kenichi narrowed his eyes and looked around, while Honoka did so with a confused look on her face.

"What are you talking about?" The younger Shirahama asked.

Suddenly, a wave of darkness washed over them and they all turned to the center of the street, where they saw a small floating cloud of some black, smoky substance. A strange black circle with odd designs appeared in the middle of the street, and small black wisps began rapidly flying in from all directions. The cloud of darkness steadily grew with each wisp that flew into it, and the floating black mass quickly reached the size of a bus and continued to grow.

"That," Chikage said.

Kenichi, Honoka, and everyone on the street stopped to watch it.

"What… what is that?" Kenichi muttered.

"I don't know, but I don't think we should stay to find out," Chikage said as the mass continued to grow. It began to stretch upwards. "We should leave, now." She immediately turned and began running.

Kenichi quickly grabbed his sister and followed suit.

"What? Where are we going?!" Honoka demanded.

"_Away_ from that!" Kenichi said.

All around them, other people seemed to be getting the same idea.

-x-_**Ranma**_-x-

Ranma watched as the distant black mass continued to grow.

"What the hell is that?" She demanded.

"Some kind of demonic entity," Ami said, quickly reaching down and stuffing her computer in her bag.

"Ranma, we're going to have to catch you later," Haruka said. "For now, we need to go. The Senshi are going to need our help clearing out any civilians that get hurt," She said.

"Let's go!" Rei said, and the girls all nodded and they took off running towards the city.

"What?" Ranma frowned. "I'm going too! There's no way I can just sit back and _watch!_"

"You told me that you're not as powerful as you were before," Haruka said. "Do you really think you can help right now?"

Ranma's mouth opened, but she said nothing.

"Sorry," Haruka said. "But I really need to go." She turned and started running after the others. "I'll call you!" She said.

Ranma held up a hand, but didn't move. She instead looked at the massive black cloud and watched as it took on a solid shape. Two appendages sprouted from the bottom of its massive body, and it dropped down to the street, landing hard enough to send tremors all the way to the park. Large white claws grew from the appendages, giving them the appearance of feet. The surface of the cloud hardened into a series of jagged, but reflective black scales, and a hole opened up at the top of its body. The hole grew until it split the top part of its body in half, and opened, revealing a gigantic maw brimming with three rows of gleaming, razor sharp teeth.

The creature let out a powerful shriek-roar and Ranma winced and held her hands up to her ears. Windows on the skyscrapers around it shattered, showering the streets below with glass.

"Holy crap," she muttered, staring at the thing in shock. "It's Godzilla!"

-x-_**Usagi**_-x-

"I don't think that's Godzilla," Rei said as the seven teens all ran down the street. "Heck of a lot uglier."

"If we hurry, we may be able to attack it before it's finished forming completely," Ami said. "We just need to find somewhere to transform."

"There! There's an alleyway up there!"

They all glanced back to see Haruka sprinting after them and quickly gaining.

"Nice to see you haven't lost your touch, love," Michiru said with a smile when the blonde caught up.

They all turned into the alleyway on reaching it and pulled out their transformation pens.

"_Mars Planet Power, Make up!_"

"_Mercury Planet Power, Make up!"_

"_Venus Planet Power, Make up!"_

"_Jupiter Planet Power, Make up!"_

"_Uranus Planet Power, Make up!"_

"_Neptune Planet Power, Make up!"_

"_Moon Prism Power, Make up!_"

"_Moon Cosmic Power, Make up!_"

-x-_**Yusuke**_-x-

While people all around him scrambled to escape, screaming, Yusuke calmly stared up at the blob of darkness as it continued to develop. It reached a height of at least thirty meters before it stopped growing, and its shape was being streamlined into something less amorphous. Its massive jaw was hinged at its chest, and it had no arms or facial features. Jagged, obsidian scales covered its body from head to toe; each scale had a crimson point, and three pointed claws jutted out from the front of its feet, with a similar single claw in the back. It resembled a crocodile that had lost its forearms and was standing upright. It let out another roar, somewhat less intense than the first, and took a step, smashing several cars underfoot as it did so. It slammed its head into a nearby building and roared again as a mane of ebony flames appeared on its back.

'_A single Spirit Gun charge isn't gonna take care of this thing, not the way I am now. Shit. What do I do?' _He looked around. '_Kurama might be here soon, but I don't know if I can count on Hiei to help. Hmm… how can I fight this thing?'_

"_Mars Snake Fire!"_

The displaced delinquent blinked in surprise on seeing a glowing red flame in the shape of a snake fly through the air and into the creature's side. The projectile crashed into it with minimum effect, however, dissipating on contact. The creature pointed its head down at where it'd been struck, as if to look at it, but the lack of eyes meant it probably couldn't see.

Yusuke simply turned to see where the attack had come from, and saw a group of girls in sailor fuku running towards the monster from the side of a building.

'_The hell? Who are they, the schoolgirl squad?'_

One of the girls swung an arm at the giant creature, and a stream of light flew through the air like a whip.

"_Venus Wink Chain Sword!"_

A blade of light flew from the chain and into the side of the giant beast. Again, the projectile simply crashed into it and dissipated, but that time, it visibly turned its attention to them. The creature opened its massive maw and let loose a powerful roar in their direction, showing off the three rows of sharp teeth. The force of its roar pushed him back, and Yusuke winced and grit his teeth, raising his arms in an attempt to shield himself.

"_Sparkling, Wide Pressure!" _

He saw one of them throw a spinning orb of electrical energy at its head. The projectile flew into its gaping maw, and the creature cried out in shock and pain and immediately closed its jaw. Electrical energy arced along its entire body, and it spasmed for an instant. The effect quickly wore off, however, and it simply shook its massive head, shrugging the effect off.

'_Guess I'll just watch and wait for an opening…'_

-x-_**Ranma**_-x-

Ranma panted as she sprinted along the sidewalk at full speed. Her legs were burning, not quite rested from her earlier workout, but she forced herself to keep going. She weaved through the crowd of fleeing civilians with a look of determination on her face.

'_I don't care what they say, there's no way I can just sit back and watch. I'm __**not **__some weakling bystander!' _ She ducked and weaved to get by several people, and soon she was wading through the stragglers who were still pouring out of the skyscrapers.

As she approached, she narrowed her eyes and studied the giant's shape.

-x-_**Sailor Moon**_-x-

"It's not hurt at all!" Sailor Venus cried out. "Mercury! What's _up_ with that thing?!"

"I'm trying to find out right now," The Senshi of Mercury said. She was looking up at the creature with her visor on and the Mercury Computer in hand. Data streamed before her eyes as she looked the creature's massive body over. The creature took a step towards them, and began to quickly close the distance between them due to its massive legs. Each step it made sent visible, red shockwaves through the air, and it left massive foot prints in the street. "The energy reading is different from anything we've ever encountered before. Its scales are made of an unknown material; I don't think we'll be able to harm it through those unless we chip away at a single point, but there's no telling how long that could take!"

The creature raised up a leg to stomp down on them, and they all scattered. Sailor Moon screamed as she barely managed to clear it, and caught the tail-end of a shockwave that send her flying into a lamppost.

"Sailor Moon! Are you alright?!" Sailor Mars called out.

Sailor Moon peeled herself off of the post and shook her head.

"I, I'm fine!" She called back. "A little dizzy though…" She muttered.

"_**Look out!**_"

She immediately turned and saw the creature raising its other foot to kick her. She screamed and ran away as it slammed its massive, clawed foot into the lamppost and sent it flying into a skyscraper.

Sailor Mercury retreated to a safe distance and continued her scans.

"Sailor Jupiter's attack seemed to have some minor success, but it doesn't appear to have taken heavy damage! We should focus on attacking when its mouth is open and try to do as much damage as we can then!"

Sailor Uranus just stared up at it as it put its massive foot back down, sending tremors through the ground and a visible shockwave through the air once more.

"And just how do you suggest we get it to look down _here_ and open wide!" She demanded.

"We can draw its attention with repeated attacks, like before." Sailor Neptune suggested from nearby.

"It's worth a shot!" Sailor Mercury called back.

All of the girls nodded. The beast seemed to lose interest in them, and searched around with its head before facing a skyscraper. It opened its mouth wide and plunged its head into the side of the building at once, rending through it like paper, and crunched the building between its massive jaws. The Senshi all looked up in shocked awe and horror as the sounds of screams assaulted them from up high, and the creature pulled its mouth and a good chunk of the building away. It held its head up and crushed everything in its mouth once before swallowing it all at once. People screamed as they and rubble fell out of the building from the gaping hole it'd made.

Sailor Uranus scowled.

"Stop standing around!" She held her hand high above her head and clenched it a fist as bright golden energy gathered above her. "_World… __**Shaking!**__" _She slammed her hand into the ground and launched a sphere of the golden energy. The energy tore through asphalt and flew up at the beast's head, where it crashed, slightly knocking the beast back.

"_Crescent Beam!"_

"_Shine… Aqua… Illusion!"_

A beam of light and a blast of gelid water followed after the initial attack, each one knocking the creature back further. The beast lifted a foot up as it attempted to recover its balance, and hit the skyscraper it'd taken a bite out of just moments before. Part of the building was crushed beneath its girth.

"No!"

"Damn it!"

"We need to get that thing away from the buildings!"

Its fall halted by the building, the creature put its foot back down with a loud crash and the usual rippling shockwaves. It shook its head again, then turned to face Sailor Mercury. She watched it in a sort of shocked detachment as it lifted its leg and moved to step on her.

"_Sailor Mercury!" _

The blue haired Senshi was snapped out of her reverie by the shrieks of her companions, and turned and started running as fast as she could, but the massive shadow of its foot followed her.

A blue beam of light slammed into her, sending her flying just as the colossal limb came crashing down. The Senshi all watched her fall to the asphalt some ten meters away from the creature's foot, and quickly followed the beam's trajectory back to the source. A young man wearing a leather jacket, white shirt, and blue jeans stood with his arm extended and his index finger pointed at Mercury.

"Don't thank me yet! Take care of that thing!" He shouted.

-x-_**Ranma**_-x-

Ranma watched from behind a smashed car as the Senshi returned to their assault on the monster. They launched magical projectile after projectile at it from various angles, careful not to knock it into another building, and ran about the battlefield, avoiding its attempts to squash them.

'_Hmm… it's got bad balance,' _She thought, looking up at it. '_Legs are short… no arms, no tail to counter balance… we knock it off of its feet, it probably won't be able to get up. But there are still people stuck in the buildings up there…' _She got up and ran towards another car that was closer to the battle, then ducked behind it just in time to avoid a flying piece of rubble. She peeked out from behind the car again and continued analyzing the monster. Something on its head caught her eye, and she frowned. '_Is that a horn or something?' _She shook her head. '_Well,_ _a Hiryu Shouten Ha could knock it off of its feet easy, but there's no way I could lead that thing in a spiral…' _She narrowed her eyes. '_Hmm…'_

Finally, seemingly fed up with all of the attacks that were hitting it, the creature bent over and roared once more, and every single one of the girls that it was facing let loose with an attack.

"_Mars Snake Fire!"_

"_Jupiter Coconut Cyclone!"_

"_Deep Submerge!"_

"_Crescent Beam!"_

Ranma watched as their projectiles – a flame in the shape of a serpent, a bright, tightly packed sphere of electrical energy, a large blue sphere, and a beam of light, – flew into the creature's mouth. The creature recoiled from their attacks and shrieked in obvious pain, swinging its body wildly as electricity arced along its body. In its movements, it hit two of the buildings around it. Steel and glass showered the combatants below, and they all scrambled to avoid the falling debris. Ranma looked up and jumped back at the last second as a chunk of building crushed the car she was hiding behind, exploding and sending shrapnel flying in every direction.

Ranma's eyes widened as rubble flew at her, and she instinctively deflected all of them with a burst of speed.

When she landed, she blinked and looked at her hands in surprise.

'_Hey… that wasn't nearly as fast as I used to be, but that was way better than what I was doing earlier today…' _

She narrowed her eyes.

'_Well, I'm not complaining. But exactly what can I do with this?' _

She turned back to look at the group of combatants and frowned when she realized that there were two of the Sailor Senshi that she hadn't seen use any attacks yet.

'_What are they waiting on?'_

-x-_**Sailor Moon**_-x-

Sailor Moon looked up at the creature in disbelief as it simply recovered from the barrage of Senshi attacks and stood up to its full height, a deep grumbling sound emanating from its body.

"I don't think we really managed to hurt it very much," Sailor Mars said.

"At least we _hurt_ it that time," Jupiter grumbled. "What is this thing _made_ of?"

It suddenly jumped straight up into the air and all the Senshi followed it with their eyes. Only a few seconds later it reached the apex of its leap after clearing half its own height and began to fall back towards the ground.

Haruka's eyes widened with realization and she immediately turned and started running.

"_Run!_"

Her belated warning sounded the instant the creature slammed back down onto the ground. The force of its descent sent massive shockwaves and tremors throughout the area, and all of the Senshi were knocked into the air like rag-dolls, each one flying until they hit something hard enough to stop them.

Sailor Moon slid down the side of a building's wall to the ground and groaned in pain as she sat up and rubbed her head.

'_If it wasn't for our transformations, that'd have killed us for sure…'_ As it was, she had a splitting headache and pain all throughout her body. A deep rumbling sound caught her attention and she turned around to see the creature standing in deep twin craters. Her eyes shifted towards the source of the sound – the building nearest the monster. Her eyes widened when the building began to collapse. She watched, spellbound with horror as it fell, a cloud of dust flying up into the air around the dark giant.

Her mind was blank as she watched it fall. She simply sat there, staring straight ahead, incognizant of the debris flying about as the once towering structure became nothing more than a pile of rubble.

Unfazed, the black behemoth turned and began digging into the pile with its mouth.

"Are you alright?"

She looked up to see the teen with the leather jacket running over to her. He had a look of concern on his face.

Her mouth opened to answer, but she struggled to form words.

"Why…" She finally said, turning to face the monster. "_Why…?_"

The youth stopped beside her and knelt down to check her over.

"Hey! Get it together!"

The blonde blinked and looked at the youth.

"You're one of this world's defenders, aren't you?" He asked with a scowl. "Then start acting like it!"

She stared at him in surprise for a moment, but then narrowed her eyes in determination.

"You're right," she said, climbing to her feet. She quickly looked around to see that most of the other Senshi were unconscious. The only others who had recovered were Sailors Chibi-Moon, Mars and Mercury. Mars and Chibi-Moon were struggling to stand on their feet, but Mercury was simply sitting, leaning against a tree growing from a planter in the sidewalk. She turned to look at the youth. "I don't know how much longer this battle is going to last. Please get as far away as you can," she said.

He shook his head.

"I may not be as strong as I used to be, but I still have a bit of reiki left," He said. "I can't fight directly, but if I see an opening, you can be damned sure I'm taking it."

She frowned at his statement, but noted the fiery determination in his eyes.

It mirrored her own.

"Very well," She said with a nod. "Stay safe."

He nodded and she turned and started running towards Sailor Mercury, who was sitting up against a tree. She knelt down and looked her friend over with concern.

"Sailor Mercury, can you stand?" She asked.

The blue haired girl shook her head.

"My leg is broken," The other girl said, biting her lip and wincing against the pain. She was staring down at her leg with her visor on.

Sailors Mars and Chibi-Moon joined them, both looking slightly better off than Moon herself.

"Are you two alright?" Mars asked. She was bleeding from a cut on her arm and covered in dirt.

"Mercury's leg is broken," Moon said. "What about you two?"

"A few scrapes and bruises, but otherwise alright," Mars said.

"Same," Chibi-Moon said. "How broken is your leg?" She asked, looking down at Mercury.

"Both my femur and tibia are fractured," The blue haired girl said. "I don't think I'll be able to walk on my own for quite some time."

The other Senshi nodded at that.

"I'll relay tactical data to you," Mercury said. "I'm afraid I can't do much more than that. Since I can't move, I don't want to attract its attention by attacking." she said.

"It would probably be best for you to get out of here," Moon said with a frown. "It might attack you anyway, or something could fall on you…"

Mercury shook her head.

"I need to help," she said. "Many lives have been lost to that abomination already. We need to take it out as soon as possible, and that will be easier if I can offer you tactical information."

"I'll watch her."

They all turned to see Ranma standing there, and blinked in surprise.

"I can give her a piggyback and escape if necessary, while you guys fight that thing." She said.

The Senshi all frowned at her.

"You're just a civilian," Mars began.

"This isn't the time for this!" Ranma snapped. "That other guy is helping and now so am I. You need all the help you can get, so just take it, damn it!"

The Senshi stared at the redhead for a good long moment. The sound of the black colossus crunching metal and glass between its jaws could be heard in the background as it searched the rubble for meat.

"She's right," Mercury said. "But we need a plan."

"Fine." Sailor Moon looked over at the giant monster.

It seemed to have completely lost interest in them.

"Any ideas?" She asked.

"Hmm…" Mercury turned to face the creature. "My analysis indicates that attacking its mouth is indeed effective, but the amount of damage we're doing is negligible."

"Well," Ranma began. "It has bad balance. If you could knock it off of its feet, then you could attack its mouth all you wanted," She said.

Sailor Mercury shook her head.

"In an area with open space, that would be a viable plan," she said. "But if we do that here, it could kill whatever people are still trying to evacuate the nearby buildings and destroy even more property, just by falling down."

Ranma winced.

"Ugh… yeah…" She said with a frown. "Sorry, property damage isn't normally an issue where I come from…" She muttered.

They all blinked at what she'd said, but continued thinking.

"Hmm…"

They all looked at Mercury, who was frowning.

"Sailor Moon, do you think you could time the _Moon Spiral Heart Attack_ to strike its open mouth if it attacks us?"

"No." Moon and Chibi-Moon spoke in unison. The two blinked and looked at each other, and Moon continued on.

"You can use the _Moon Spiral Heart Attack?" _She asked, looking at her daughter in surprise.

"Of course I can," Chibi-Moon said. "You taught—er, well… yes."

Sailor Moon nodded her understanding, then turned to look at Mercury again.

"We'd have to guess when it's going to look down at us, and hold it until then. And… I don't know how long we can do that."

"I see. The two of you should definitely be able to destroy it if you get a clean shot, but if it's too hard to properly time launching from the ground, then we're going to need another method of delivery," She said.

"Wait, wait a second," Ranma said with a confused frown. "You're going to give it a _heart attack? _I don't think there's enough doughnuts in the _world_ to do that," She said.

The Senshi, sans Mercury, snickered at her suggestion.

"_Moon Spiral Heart Attack_ is a powerful spell," Mercury explained. "It's well suited to destroying evil creatures, but is both time and energy consuming. I determined it would be ineffective against the creature's hide, so I advised Sailor Moon not to use it unless she got a clear shot at its mouth."

Ranma blinked and looked over at Sailor Moon.

"So that's why you haven't done anything yet," She said.

Moon nodded.

"We need to think about how we're going to deliver the attack," Mercury said. "There may be survivors in that rubble. We need to act fast."

All of the girls nodded.

"Hmm, hmm…" Ranma frowned as she considered that. "…We could try delivering it from the air?" She said.

The others all looked at her.

"How would we do that?" Mars demanded. "We can't fly, and we don't want to get in a building that could be destroyed by that thing."

Ranma narrowed her eyes.

"I have an idea…" she said. "You're the fire user, yes?"

Mars nodded.

"Then I'm going to need your help," She said. "I'd like to try something. It might turn out a bit different, since you guys are using magic instead of chi, but the underlying principles are the same," she said.

They all looked at her.

"What are you planning?" Mars asked.

"We'll make a tornado," Ranma said. "Then ride the winds into the sky and shoot it from above." She looked over at the youth with the jacket. "That guy can get this girl out of here before we get started."

The Senshi all stared at her.

"_Ride a tornado into the air?_" Mars asked with scrunched eyebrows. "Are you _insane?"_

"Look, I don't see you coming up with any better ideas," Ranma snapped.

"_Anything_ is a better idea," Sailor Mars retorted.

Ranma scowled and opened her mouth, but Mercury cut her off.

"Assuming you even get up into the air safely and deliver the attack, exactly how would you land?" She asked.

Ranma blinked. Normally, falling from such height wouldn't be a _real_ issue, but she wasn't at her best, and the Senshi didn't seem to be as resilient or skilled as she.

"Uh… well…"

"Even if you fell from the minimum height necessary to deliver the attack, your chances of survival are…" She paused as her visor went through some calculations for her. "…not favorable, even with the Senshi transformation magic."

"Whatever the case, we cannot just stand here arguing," Moon said. "If Ranma's method has even a slim chance of working then we should use it."

Ranma blinked at the use of her name, but said nothing.

Sailor Mars frowned.

"But Sailor Moon-"

"No," Moon interrupted. "We don't have time for this. We need to take action." She turned to look at Ranma. "What do we do?"

The red head looked at Mars.

"I'm gonna need your help on this one," She said.

Mars stared at her with a look of apprehension, then sighed and nodded.

"Alright," Ranma said. "I need you to generate as much heat energy as you can and follow me. I will counter with cold ki and move in a spiral. Once we reach the center, I'll trigger a tornado," He said.

"Generate heat energy?" Mars asked. "I can't just ignite myself, you know."

"Then throw some magic around, but make sure the heat follows me as closely as possible."

Mercury frowned.

"Sailor Mars' fire magic would be deadly to you, Miss," Mercury said. "If you get hit even once…"

Ranma chuckled.

"I've seen hotter fires, trust me." She said. "Unless she's got a move called _Instant Annihilation of all Mortals Blast…"_

Mars growled.

"Hotter fires than mine? There are none," she snapped.

Ranma smirked.

"Oh yeah? Prove it!" She said, before turning to look at the youth with the leather jacket. "Hey you! Get this girl out of here! We're gonna do somethin' big!" She gestured Mercury.

The young man ran over to join them.

"Oh yeah?" He asked. "Well let's hope it takes down that ugly bastard." He knelt down and put her arm around his neck, then stood up and carried her away. "Try not to move your leg so much," He said.

As they moved away, Ranma looked around at all of the other downed Senshi. They were all far enough away that the Hiryu Shoten Ha wouldn't hurt them. She looked around for an area flat and clear enough to do the spiral uninterrupted, and finally found a spot in the street that was free of rubble.

"Okay, _Heart Attack_ girls, I need you to stand here," Ranma said, pointing to what would be the center of the spiral as she ran over to the edge of the spiral while Sailors Moon and Chibi-Moon got into position. "Hey hot head, c'mon!"

"I'll show you _hot!_" The raven haired girl cried out as she followed after the redhead, putting her hands together. "_Fire Soul!" _

Ranma jumped back to avoid the fireball that came flying at her.

"You missed!" She cried out.

"Of _course_ I did! I'm not trying to kill you!" Mars snapped, keeping her hands together. "_Fire Soul!"_

Ranma moved again, but also had to duck to avoid that one.

"These aren't getting close enough at all! It'll never work at this rate!" She jeered.

"_Fire Soul!"_

Ranma huffed as she moved to avoid the flames. She was beginning to sweat, and it wasn't just from the heat. This was different from the weakness moxibustion; back then, all she'd lost was her strength – her agility had remained intact. But she had a job to do.

"You aim like an old lady!" She taunted. The magical flames were probably good, but it wouldn't hurt to get some good old' hot, angry ki mixed in too.

"_Shut up! Fire soul!"_

"Not hot enough!"

"_Burning Mandala!"_

"I take it back, I know old ladies who have better aim!"

"_Mars Snake Fire!"_

"I'm not kidding here!"

"_Shut __**up**_ already you little _twit!_ _**Mars Snake Fire!**__"_

Ranma's eyes widened and she danced wildly to avoid that one, and even still it cut dangerously close. She winced as she stepped on a sharp rock, but ignored the pain that shot up through her leg and corrected her balance.

'_Not trying to kill me? Yeah right,'_ The teen thought. '_But this is good enough.'_ She stopped and lowered her fist. "Get the hell out of here unless you wanna get caught in it!"

Mars's eyes widened and she immediately leapt high and away in a sudden show of athleticism just as Ranma threw the uppercut.

"_Hiryu Shouten Ha!"_

-x-_**Sailor Moon**_-x-

"Hold on!" Sailor Moon called out to her daughter, proffering both hands as a large cyclone screamed into existence around them. They both held on to the other tightly, clutching each other's wands and wincing as the funnel tossed them high up into the air like a pair of ragdolls, spinning together around the point where their hands were joined. The two winced as the powerful winds pulled and tore at them, and it was only the strength granted by the transformation magic that let them stay together. They both felt a strong sense of danger from the sudden height, but both clamped down on their fear.

The tornado seemed to have been perfectly aimed to send them over the creature. It completely ignored the tornado though.

"What do we do? It's not looking high enough!" Moon cried out.

"Hey ugly!" Chibi-Moon shouted. "Ready for a _snack!?_"

The creature then 'looked' up at them. As if it'd sensed two delicious morsels flying straight at it, it opened its massive jaws wide.

"_Now!" _Chibi-Moon declared.

"_Double…Moon… Spiral… Heart… Attack!_"

The two stopped spinning through the air and struck a mirrored pose. Streams of hearts spiraled forth from their wands, until finally a single massive pink heart flew forth, straight into its mouth. The heart tore through the creature's flesh and disappeared into its innards, and it shrieked out in pain as its body began to glow with pink light. The shriek increased in pitch and volume until finally the creature violently exploded into countless black shards that dispersed in every direction.

Both Sailor Moons stared down at the empty space where it'd been, wincing from the pain.

They'd done it. It was gone.

And now they were falling.

"_Aiiieeeee!_"

Both hugged each other and screamed as they fell.

And then both were caught by a man in a black tuxedo wearing a white mask and top-hat.

"Hold on you two!" He cried out as he aimed a black cane at the ground. It extended until it hit the distant street and they stopped falling at once. Slowly, the man lowered them all down to the ground, using the cane as an elevator of sorts. In no time at all they were safely on the ground, but neither of them let go of him.

"Tuxedo Mask! My _hero!_" Sailor Moon cried out. "You saved us!"

Tuxedo Kamen shook his head.

"I just did what I could," He said. "You did the real work here today, Sailor Moon, Sailor Chibi-Moon."

Sailor Moon gushed.

-x-_**Ranma**_-x-

Ranma stared at the man who'd suddenly arrived just in time to save the two falling Senshi. That cane trick had taken a hell of a lot of skill; if he'd been off balance at all, they'd have teetered off and fallen down anyway.

'_That guy's good,'_ She thought, watching with an eyebrow. '_But he's not a Senshi, is he? And they don't seem to mind __**him**__ helping…'_

-x-_**Kenichi**_-x-

Kenichi, Honoka, and Chikage all watched as the last of the black scales disappeared into the distance. For a time, nothing happened, until finally a small breeze blew a leaf towards Kenichi's face. He batted it away without even thinking about it, but the action spurred his mind into action. He immediately began running towards the battlefield. Riddled with craters from the black colossus's steps and massive leap, and covered with rubble and smashed cars from buildings and street lamps, the streets were an absolute mess. He weaved around obstacles on his way towards the massive, smoking pile of rubble that had once been a thirty story building.

"Brother? Where are you going!?" Honoka demanded, as she immediately followed after.

"They might need medical help!" He shouted back.

Chikage watched them go with her trademark impassive countenance. After a moment, she followed after them in a full sprint. The three of them quickly made their way to the battlefield, where they saw the girls in the strange clothes tending to their own. About half of them were unconscious, while one of them was simply sitting alone. Kenichi stopped before the first unconscious sailor fuku wearing girl he came across, and Honoka and Chikage stopped as soon as they caught up. The Ryozanpaku disciple knelt down and held the girl's wrist, searching for a pulse. He looked up at the two girls and spoke.

"Go check on the others," He said.

Chikage and Honoka nodded and split off to do as he'd instructed, while he looked back down at the girl beneath him. She had brown hair and was wearing a green skirt, and was covered in dirt and had some bruises and scrapes, but otherwise looked alright.

'_I hope she doesn't have any internal injuries,'_ He thought to himself with a grimace. '_I don't believe this. Real live magical girls and kaiju attacks…'_ He looked up and around at the carnage that had resulted from the battle he'd just witnessed. '_The world got changed around a lot more than we'd thought… or maybe this really __**is**__ a coma. This is all just way too ridiculous…'_

The girl beneath him groaned and he immediately looked down at her. She had a pained grimace on her face and started tossing and turning.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

By way of answer, she coughed up a spurt of blood.

"I'll take that as a no," He said with a sigh. He noticed that she was taking short breaths.

"Uuhh…ow…" She slowly opened her eyes. "W…what… happened?"

"You took a really bad hit," he said. "As far as I can tell."

She stared up at him in confusion.

"Who are you?" She asked. "Where… where are the others?" She groaned again after her question and closed her eyes back. "_Ow_…"

"They're here, most of them are out of it though," He said, looking up. "Hey! This one's awake!" He called out. Four other girls in similar uniform, a fifth girl wearing a red sports bra and matching yoga pants, and two men – one in a tuxedo and the other in a leather jacket and blue jeans - all noticed his shout. The girl not wearing a uniform ran over to him and knelt down. He could tell from the way she carried herself that she was a trained martial artist, but she seemed difficult to gauge.

"How's she doing?" The girl asked. She had red hair and was voluptuous, even compared to Miu.

"I think she has internal injuries," He said. "She's coughed up some blood already," He said.

The redhead knelt down and started feeling around on the girl's torso.

"Broken rib," She said. "Two of 'em."

Kenichi winced.

'_I guess that means no more kaiju battles for her then, not for a while.'_ He thought with a frown, before looking up at her. "Are you one of them?" He asked.

The girl shook her head.

"No way," She said. "There are ambulances on the way. You keep an eye on this one. Don't let her move." She stood and he looked up at her.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"I'm gonna look for survivors." she said.

The distant wail of sirens approaching could be heard as she took off running towards the wreckage of the building the monster had destroyed. He looked down at the groaning, panting girl, and wiped some of the sweat off of her face.

-x-_**Ranma**_-x-

Ranma panted as she dug through the wreckage, searching for even the faintest trace of chi. She frowned when she came upon a heavy piece of debris and grunted with effort as she lifted it. She turned and tossed it aside, then looked down to see a large spray of blood in the rubble. She stared at it for a moment, too winded to really do anything else; the image of a ketchup packet that'd been stepped on came to mind as she took in the overall shape of the splatters, and she shivered.

'_Shit.'_

She continued digging at a subdued pace. It wasn't long before she found the source of the blood.

She was immediately overwhelmed by the sight, and turned and retched all at once.

"Hey, need a ha… whoa."

She stopped heaving and panted, grimacing at the bitter taste of her own bile. The young man who'd helped during the fight was standing nearby.

"Are you alright?" He asked, taking a step toward her.

She closed her eyes.

"Yeah… yeah I'm fine."

He nodded and turned to look at what she'd just seen, and made a face.

"Holy shit…" He muttered.

Ranma sighed and took a few steps away from the mess she'd just made to sit down. She was covered in sweat and the area stank of her insides.

"Maybe you should take a break," The young man said, looking down at her. "The rescue crews will be here soon, and we'll just be in the way then."

She shook her head.

"There may be people still alive underneath all this shit," she said, gesturing the rubble. "When I think of how… scared and alone they'd be…" She shook her head and stood back up, but he put a hand on her.

"Hold on."

She looked up at frowned at him.

"What? Don't try to stop me."

"I'm not," He said. "But at least rest a whole minute."

She sighed and shook her head.

"Man. Two days ago and I coulda searched all of this in an hour," she muttered, hanging her head.

The young man stared at her for a moment, before speaking again.

"Two days ago?"

She looked up at him.

"Eh… you wouldn't get it." She said, sitting back down.

He stared down at her.

"Did you used to be _stronger_ two days ago?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes.

"Helluva lot stronger," She said with a sigh. '_And at least __**half**__ male, too.'_

He frowned.

"You don't look like an S class demon to me…" He muttered.

She looked up at him with a eyebrow cocked up.

"What? Of course not. I'm a martial artist," She said. "Been training all my life. That tornado was just one of the techniques I know."

He raised an eyebrow.

"I've only ever seen demons do that sort of thing," He said. "Most humans I know just focus raw reiki."

She shrugged.

"I don't use reiki," She said. "I use chi."

He nodded.

"So what happened two days ago?" He asked.

She shrugged.

"Would you believe me if I told you I woke up in a different world with a different body?"

He stared at her in silence for at least ten seconds, before finally breaking out into full blown laughter. She sighed and rolled her eyes, then stood up.

"Yeah, figured," She said.

"What if I said yes?"

She blinked and stared at him.

"Huh?"

"Yeah, see… Funny thing happened two days ago…"

-x-_**Sailor Moon**_-x-

Sailor Moon sat next to Mercury, who was sitting up and leaning against the stump of a tree that'd snapped from the beast's jump attack. Sailors Chibi-Moon and Mars had run off to check on the downed Senshi.

"What should we do?" Moon asked, looking up. "If we just let the ambulances get here and see us as we are, things could get… uh, what's the word? Complit…complicated! Yeah, that. Anyway, if we transform right _now_, then _these_ people will figure out who we are."

Mercury sighed and leaned back against the tree.

"I know, I know. If only we really _were_ backed by some kind of organization…" she said, closing her eyes. A slight breeze played with her hair. "Maybe we should look into that…"

"They're almost _here_," Sailor Moon said, looking up. The approaching sirens were indeed much closer.

"Hmm…" Mercury frowned. "As long as we keep our senshi transformations up the whole time, then we should be fine, but there's no guarantee they'll release us without questioning. Actually, I'm sure of the opposite." She said. She reached up to the stud in her ear and engaged her visor once more, then tapped a few keys on her computer. "It would undoubtedly be safer to go in without our transformations up, but all the same, I'd rather not reveal our identities to Ranma-san just yet," She said. "The others don't know us at all, but seeing us transform will make it possible for them to recognize us…" She sighed.

"So what do we _dooo?_" Moon whined.

"I know a doctor that will help, no questions asked."

They both looked up to see Sailor Uranus standing over them, holding her arm.

"Uranus! You're alright?"

The blonde nodded.

"I saw the end there," She began. "My arm had been dislocated, but I fixed it." She said. "Nothing else major. But I think Neptune has a concussion," she said the last bit with closed eyes. "Anyway, like I said. I know a doctor," she said. "Unless someone needs to go to the ER, we should be fine."

"My leg needs surgery," Mercury said. "The transformation magic is the only reason I'm not screaming right now."

Uranus frowned.

"I see…" She brought a hand up to her chin and considered it. After a moment, she looked down at Moon. "What do you think we should do, princess?"

Moon blinked.

"W-well… I, I'm not sure… to be honest…" She chuckled, then sighed. "We've never had to deal with anything like this…"

Uranus frowned.

"I suggest you relinquish the transformations,"

They all turned to look at Tuxedo Kamen.

"The worst thing that can happen is that five people who don't know you find out who we are. If the authorities get their hands on the Senshi, however, the fallout will be much worse. This isn't an ideal situation, but things won't always go the way we wish them to."

Uranus shook her head.

"We can't forget the possibility that it's Ranma who's caused this whole mess to begin with," she said.

Tuxedo Kamen turned to look at her with a raised brow.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"You weren't at the meeting, so you wouldn't know, but two days ago, someone altered history."

He frowned.

"Good to know it's not just me."

"Oh, come _on_ now," Sailor Moon said, standing up and dusting herself off. "That's just silly. Why would she have done such a thing to herself? No way, this has to be the diabolical scheme of some new enemy," She said. "Probably the demons we've supposedly been encountering… just encountered, anyway."

Haruka frowned.

"For her own entertainment, maybe? Who knows?" She shrugged.

Mercury shook her head.

"I'm with Sailor Moon," She said. "It's more likely that someone was very deliberate with what they changed and that they had some sort of plan. We should be prepared for whatever else may happen," She said.

The five of them stood there in silence as they considered what that could mean, while the blaring sirens closed in.

"They're just around the corner," Kamen said. "It's now or never, Senshi."

"Tch," Sailor Uranus frowned.

Sailor Moon looked down at Mercury.

"Can we turn the others' transformations off?" She asked. "We need to act fast."

Mercury's visor scrolled data past her eyes in response to the princess' query.

"Um, yes. It doesn't seem like anyone has suffered mortal injury, disengaging the transformation magic shouldn't cause them any harm."

Moon shook her head.

"No, no, I mean… like… remotely? For the ones not awake?"

Mercury blinked.

"There appears to be such a function. However… there is an authorization code required, from you…"

Sailor Moon blinked.

"What? But I don't know any… _authorization code!_"

Mercury blinked at the data readout.

"Huh. It accepted that," She said.

Everyone stared at Sailor Moon as Mercury tapped a few keys on the computer and one by one, the Senshi's transformations began to deactivate, their fuku vanishing in flashes of light.

-x-_**Ranma**_-x-

Ranma stopped running towards the three gathered Senshi and their tuxedo'd friend as the girls' transformations began to deactivate. She stared at the revealed Usagi, Haruka, and Ami in surprise.

It only lasted a few seconds.

'_Thinking back, it seems obvious,'_ She thought, before continuing to run over to join them. "Hey, you guys are never gonna believe this," she said, not missing a beat. "But that guy? With the jacket? He's like us," She said.

Usagi, Haruka, and Tuxedo Kamen all stared at her. Ami was busy gritting her teeth and hissing at the pain in her leg.

"Um… like us?" Usagi asked.

"What's going on!?"

They all turned to see Rei running towards them.

"My transformation wore off all of a sudden!" She called out. "Without warning! So did the others!"

Just then, numerous emergency vehicles pulled into the area. Police, fire fighters, and ambulances swarmed in from every direction, and just behind them were news vans representing every station in the entire metropolitan area.

"It's alright," Tuxedo Kamen said. "That was necessary in order to avoid your covers from being blown. I on the other hand, will need to change elsewhere." He turned and started walking away. "Take care of yourselves, girls. I'll be around." And with that, he leapt off and away.

Haruka frowned and turned to look at Ranma.

"What do you mean, 'like us_'_?"

"He's from another world," Ranma said. "Woke up two days ago, everything different, same as us."

Even Ami looked at her that time.

"…Is that right?" Haruka muttered. "We'll have to talk to him then, see if he knows anything. Where is he now?"

"He said he was sweeping the rubble for any signs of ki," She said. "You know, looking for survivors?"

Both Rei and Haruka nodded their understanding, while Usagi looked somewhat confused.

-x-_**Kenichi**_-x-

Kenichi stood back and watched as the emergency medical technicians loaded the brown haired girl up on a stretcher and carried her away to an ambulance, Honoka and Chikage by his side.

"Big brother, what should we do now?" Honoka asked, looking up at him.

"I'm not sure," He said with a heavy sigh.

"Do you still wish to question the validity of the existence of magical girls?" Chikage asked, favoring him with her trademark deadpan stare.

He hung his head.

"I guess not…" He said with a sigh. "Man… real life _monsters…" _Suddenly he felt much smaller and weaker than he'd ever felt, even with his newest predicament.

"This is a prime opportunity to gather information," Chikage said.

Honoka and Kenichi both looked at her.

"What do you mean?" Kenichi asked.

"Them," the short girl said, pointing at the red head, and three of the Sailor Senshi, who were watching a fourth get loaded up into another ambulance. "They have magical powers capable of defeating powerful creatures the likes of which we have never seen. They are likely to be able to tell us what we need to know about this strange world."

Kenichi furrowed his brow.

"That makes sense," He said with a sigh.

"The Sailor Senshi?" Honoka asked. "You mean we're going to talk to them?"

Kenichi nodded.

"This is as good a chance as ever," He said.

-x-_**Ranma**_-x-

"Excuse us!"

Ranma, Rei, Usagi and Haruka turned to see the three civilians who'd helped keep watch over the downed Senshi. There was the modest looking boy about her age wearing glasses and plain clothes, a girl wearing a purple leotard under a shirt and miniskirt, and a girl with her hair in a side-tail wearing a school uniform.

"Yeah?" Ranma asked.

"Uh… well…" The boy trailed off.

"We were hoping you could explain what just happened to us," said the girl with the side-tail. "We are not familiar with such creatures. How commonly do such monsters attack this city? When did they appear?"

Ranma narrowed her eyes.

"Don't tell me… did something strange happen to you two days ago?"

The boy with the glasses and the side-tail girl shared a look, while the leotard wearing girl just looked confused.

"Uh, excuse me!" The leotard girl began. "I'm, uh, a big fan! I think you're all so cool!"

The Sailor Senshi blinked at her, and Usagi laughed nervously.

"Ahh, ahahaha… thanks?"

Haruka sighed.

"Let's get this straight, though. Did everything change for you three as well, two days ago?" She asked.

The boy shook his head.

"Just me and Chikage-chan," He said. "My sister… well, she's…" He glanced at Honoka, who was looking back and forth between him and Haruka.

"I see," Haruka said with a nod.

"Just how many people did this _happen_ to?" Rei muttered. "I'd thought it was only us at first, but now…"

"Who knows," Haruka said. "But right now, we've got more important things to worry about. I'm going to go see how Michiru's doing." She turned and started jogging over towards Michiru, who was sitting up in the back of an ambulance and receiving attention from several emergency personnel.

Ranma shook her head.

"Well, the police are going to ask for statements soon," Rei said. "After that, I think we'll be free to talk." She turned to look at Kenichi. "Listen, could you keep quiet about… you know? We'd _really_ appreciate it."

The three nodded their understanding.

"O-of course, right…"

-x-_**Inverted Spectrum**_-x-

Ranma crossed her arms as she surveyed everyone present. Most of the emergency personnel had all cleared out, and Michiru, Ami, and Makoto had been taken to the nearest hospital, leaving Haruka, Usagi, Chibi-Usa, Rei, Minako, the youth with the leather jacket, the three civilians that had helped out, and Ranma herself. The scene of the battle had been cordoned off, and they were standing outside the yellow tape as rescue crews worked to find survivors, or at least bodies, wherever they could. News crews were finally being allowed to enter the area and film the damage, and civilians were gathering at the perimeter to ogle everything. It was an absolute spectacle.

"Alright, so, let's get this straight…" Ranma began. "Everyone here - minus your sister, that is - woke up two days ago, in a completely different world than they remember having lived in their entire lives."

Most of the people gathered nodded.

"That sums it up," the leather jacket wearing teen said.

"Agreed," The side-tail girl said.

"We should head back to the park, we left some of our stuff there." Rei said.

"Oh, yeah alright." Usagi said. "It's not too far. In the meantime, I believe proper introductions are in order." She started walking along the sidewalk, and the rest of the group followed after. "For a second time, anyway. My name's Tsukino Usagi."

"Hino Rei," Said the girl with raven black hair.

"The beautiful Aino Minako, at your service!"

"Saotome Ranma, nice ta meet'cha."

"Name's Urameshi Yusuke,"

"Uhm, er, Shirahama Kenichi,"

"Shirahama Honoka!"

"Kushinada Chikage."

"Ten'ou Haruka."

"And I'm also Tsukino Usagi." Chibi-Usa said. "Yes, we're related; cousins, and the name is family tradition." She said.

"Just call her Chibi-Usa to avoid confusion," Usagi said.

"Tch, no way, I'm older!"

"_Anyway,_" Haruka said, heading off their banter. "Normally, I would be against sharing information with people we don't know, but you've all seen our transformations, so it's moot. That aside, let us begin with: Does _anyone_ know what the hell it was we just killed? Because a creature like that has never appeared in our world before."

There were head-shakes all around, except from Yusuke, who was wearing a frown.

"I've never seen it before, but it was definitely from Makai." He said. "I noticed some of its body pass through a gate to Makai before it all assembled into that thing."

They all looked at him.

"Makai?" Ranma asked. "You mean, there's an actual demon realm?"

Yusuke nodded.

"Makai is another world," He began. "I mean, in my world, at least. Creatures like that can be found all over, though most of them aren't as huge. There are many just as and even way stronger than that thing. I was a demon hunter in my own world, for a while, but I'd recently retired… well, it's a long story, but anyway, I used to be strong enough to squash youkai like that with my little finger."

Everyone gathered looked at him in shock.

"No way," Ranma muttered.

"Way," Yusuke said.

Haruka frowned. The fact that she couldn't detect a hint of deception or exaggeration from the youth was giving her a very bad feeling.

"So," She began. "You… were very powerful."

He nodded.

"One of the most powerful people in the world," He said with a shrug. "But it's all gone now. I'm back the way I was before I became a spirit detective… demon hunter, anyway."

"I see. So history was altered so that you'd never became one," Rei said. "And now all of your power is gone."

He nodded.

"That's what I was told, yeah." He cracked his knuckles. "I'd _really_ like to get my hands on the bastard behind all of this. Everything was just fine. I had my ramen cart going and everything!"

They stared at him for a moment, but shrugged that off.

"Wait a second, wait a second…" Rei said, frowning. "Makai… Ami-chan mentioned youkai from another dimension earlier, right? So okay, there's this Makai in your world, a place where such demons live, but not in ours. We've never _actually_ fought any creatures from this Makai place, but according to this history of this world, _we have_, as if Makai always existed here…"

Haruka's eyes lit up.

"It's like his world fused with ours," She said in a low voice.

Rei looked over at her.

"Yeah," She said. "Yeah! That's it!"

She stopped walking and everyone else followed suit and looked at her.

"This isn't some _new_ world that none of us has ever been to before," Rei continued. "This is _all_ of our worlds, fused together!"

They all stared at her in silence.

"Umm… this is all sort of going over my head…" Honoka said. "Can someone explain it to me?"

"It's actually rather simple," Haruka said. "If Hino is right, then, we're all from alternate universes that have fused together into one, with an integrated history." She looked down at Honoka. "You are the only person here who remembers everything according to the history of this world. The rest of us remember something quite different."

Honoka frowned, then looked up at her brother.

"Big Brother? You… don't remember me?"

He shook his head and sighed.

"I… remember a different Honoka." He admitted. "She… was just like you, in most ways, but… she wasn't a martial artist."

Honoka frowned at that.

"So… that's why… you've been acting so strange?" She muttered to herself. "This is all so weird... but I _think _I get it…" She shook her head. "If the Senshi say so, then it must be true."

"Wait, wait, okay, but," Ranma said, frowning. "_Why_ would someone _do_ that?"

Rei shrugged.

"No idea. It's just an early theory, really, anyway," She said. "But it makes sense given what we know."

Haruka nodded.

"We might be able to get a better picture of the situation if we know more about everyone involved,"

"Huh…" Minako frowned. "Then, shouldn't we get to know as much about each other's worlds as possible? Because, uh, chances are, each of us has things that have followed us into this world that the others wouldn't be familiar with," She said. "You know, things like that _kaiju_ that just leveled a city block?"

Usagi nodded.

"That sounds like a good idea," She said. She looked over at Kenichi. "So were you guys demon hunters too?"

Kenichi shook his head.

"I, I was just a normal kid, really. I mean, I was a martial arts disciple, and a lot stronger than I am now, but I still had a long way to go… I can't imagine why this would have happened to me."

"Likewise, I am a martial artist," Chikage said. "As I can tell Saotome-san is."

Ranma blinked.

"Yeah, that's right," She said, surveying the small girl. "Jujutsu?"

Chikage nodded.

"From what I saw of your performance earlier, you are skilled at many styles," She said. "Similar to band-aid."

Kenichi chuckled.

"I'm not wearing a band-aid right now, you know…" He said.

They all looked at him.

"_Band-aid?_"

He sighed.

"My masters… were very rough," He said. "I was almost constantly recovering from their training methods… she started calling me that right around the time I had that one on my face."

Ranma chuckled, while the Senshi all considered what he'd said.

"Alright, so you're martial artists," Haruka said. "And you've never dealt with demons or anything like that?"

Kenichi shook his head.

"You'd think some of the masters I've seen fight were demons, but surprisingly, they're human," He said. "I think."

"I've fought demons before," Ranma said. "Nothin quite so big as that last guy, but there's been all kinds. Same with crazy martial artists, and a few perverts… wait, no, a lot of perverts."

"You fight perverts?" Usagi asked with a disgusted frown.

Ranma sighed and nodded.

"So Shirahama-san lived a completely normal life, then?" Rei asked.

Kenichi frowned.

"Well, actually, I suppose I wouldn't call my life normal… There certainly weren't any demons, but… Yami and YOMI…" He sighed. "Where were we going again?"

"A park," Usagi said as she continued walking. The rest of the group followed after, except for Honoka, who was looking at her brother in surprise.

"You fought against Yami and YOMI?" She asked.

He stopped and turned to look down at her.

"That's right," He said. "Do you know about them?"

She nodded, but looked distressed.

"I… do," She said. "Sensei said it was Yami who killed her sensei."

All of the muscles in Kenichi's face locked up.

"I…see." He said, closing his eyes. After a moment, he opened them and continued walking. "Come on, Honoka, we're going to get left behind."

She watched him with concern, but then followed after.

"So, what's this _Yami_ you were talking about before?" Haruka asked. "Right away, I'm going to say that I don't like their name."

Kenichi nodded.

"Well, as some of you may know, martial arts has many different schools of thought, but it can all be broken down into two main ideologies; The Katsujinken, and the Satsujinken."

Ranma, Haruka, and Rei all nodded at his explanation.

"Katsujinken is the way of the _life giving fist_, or _sword_," Rei said. "It embodies all that is righteous: protecting the weak, destroying evil, and cultivating one's own spirit. Conversely, Satsujinken is the way of the _murdering sword_ or _fist_, which takes the lives of the weak, propagates evil, and eventually destroys one's humanity."

"Yeah, Katsujinken users only kill when they have no alternatives, and Satsujinken martial artists kill whoever gets in their way," Ranma said with a frown.

Chikage frowned, but said nothing.

"There's always an alternative." Kenichi insisted. "Always."

Ranma winced, while Usagi nodded in agreement, but Haruka chuckled.

"That sounds naïve if you ask me," She said.

"Regardless, we are not here to debate philosophy." Chikage said, returning to her usual indifferent demeanor. "Band-aid."

Kenichi nodded.

"Anyway," He continued, "Yami is the largest single organization of Satsujinken users in the world. Their ideology, I think is based on the age-old _JakuNiku_ _Kyō__Shoku_. They support criminal organizations and count many skilled assassins amongst their numbers. I'm not sure what their goals are." He said. "My masters fought against them and interfered with their operations as much as possible, saving human lives where ever they could. And I fought against YOMI, a sub-group in Yami of disciples who followed Satsujinken masters." He shook his head.

Usagi frowned.

"You fought against murderers?" She asked.

Kenichi nodded, and Minako shook her head.

"Unbelievable. Youkai, Youma, whatever you wanna call em – they're just blood thirsty monsters. But you fought against _people?"_

He nodded.

"I used to fight people like that, back when I first started out as Sailor V… it always makes me sick when I'm reminded that there are humans who profit from the suffering of other humans."

"Why'd you stop?" Ranma asked, frowning.

She shrugged.

"Well, fighting monsters and such all the time takes a lot out of you," She said. "Especially recently, with those daimon… With otherworldly creatures to worry about, I just haven't had the time to even think about regular criminals." She shook her head. "Anyway, that's definitely not a normal life. Even if it's not monsters you were fighting."

Kenichi nodded.

"Do you have reason to believe that this _Yami _is here in this world?" Haruka asked.

The group turned onto the street where the park was located. The park was almost completely empty, a stark change from when it'd been over-crowded during the eclipse.

"We know for a fact that they are here." Chikage said. "We are also aware that the Yami of this world has youkai in its ranks."

The entire group looked upset at that.

"That's like, twice the bad news," Minako said with a grimace.

"Agreed," Haruka said with a heavy sigh. "And this organization; you said it's the largest in the world, so I'm guessing they have a lot of influence."

"Yami's influence over the world's governments is great." Chikage said. "There are some which are resistant, but what politicians aren't already their puppets, they assassinate and replace as soon as they are troublesome."

"Unless, of course, people like my masters stop them." Kenichi said. "Unfortunately, in this world, my masters… may not even exist, for the most part. I haven't seen any of them, and of the two I've heard about, one is dead, and one is extremely elusive," He said with a heavy sigh. "And still might not even be what I remember him to be."

When they entered the park, Ranma opened her mouth to get a word in.

"So, okay," She said. "Let me get this straight. We are dealing with a bunch of demons from this Makai place, who are running around killing people at whim, and an organization of murderous martial artists that spans the entire world and can have us all killed, which also includes some of the aforementioned demons." She said.

The group all shared looks.

"Sums it up," Yusuke said.

"Sounds right to me," Usagi agreed.

There were more sounds of agreement.

"Unless there's something you'd like to add Ranma?" Haruka asked, closing her eyes and holding her head.

Ranma shook her head for a moment, then shrugged.

"Well, I'm not sure," She said. "None of my problems have actually shown up yet. They might be gone, they might be different, no way ta tell."

"Your problems?" Usagi asked.

"Err… well… it's nothing as big as what those guys mentioned… just a few violent fiancés, jealous rivals, and a _lot_ of random bullshit. Some of which, I'd rather not share just yet. It's a, uh, personal matter. But let me tell you one thing; don't _ever_ go to China. _Ever._"

They all stared at her.

"Did you say fiancés?" Kenichi asked. "As in, _plural?_"

Ranma chuckled.

"If there's anything that you're not telling us which could affect us, _please,_ don't hide it," Haruka began with annoyance, "I'd rather not be caught by surprise."

Ranma shrugged.

"I think we're cool," she said. "I mean, _my_ life has changed so much, I don't even know what's the _same_ anymore. I mean, in my world, I was a poor martial artist who traveled around the world with my father, and here, I'm made of money and I've never used martial arts in my life. Even my family's different."

They all considered that.

"Um, wait a second… I might be missing something, but… If all that has changed, for those of us who remember the world as it used to be, is personal history, then shouldn't your family be the _same?_" Usagi asked.

Ranma shrugged.

"I donno."

Usagi shook her head.

"Hey, Chibi-Usa," Rei said suddenly, looking over at the pink haired girl. "Are you following all of this?" She asked. "You haven't said a word."

Chibi-Usa looked over at her.

"I don't get it," she said. "If history has changed… then why do _I_ remember the same history as you all?"

The Senshi all stared at her.

"I mean… given my circumstances… I should remember the history of _this_ world," she said. "Right?"

Haruka raised an eyebrow.

"That… is a good point," She said.

"What is she talking about?" Ranma asked.

"It's nothing," Chibi-Usa said. "Alright, so… what's the plan? How do we deal with all of this?"

Usagi sighed.

"Well, it looks like we've got _two _new enemies to think about, all at once," She said with a sigh.

"And these aren't like anything we've faced before," Haruka said. "If youkai are like that one we just fought, then as far as I can tell, they pillage and kill for the sake of consuming human flesh and nothing more; no overarching plan or desire for world domination or destruction. This _Yami _on the other hand is quite possibly the most devious and resourceful enemy we've faced yet. They aren't like our previous enemies, who were arrogant and relied entirely on supernatural means to get what they want. If they have humans in their ranks, then they are capable of anything, of _being_ _anyone_," she said. "Our prime minister could be a member of this group, or a puppet who doesn't even realize it."

"Even our friends and family could be members," Minako said with a frown. "Our own histories have changed too, remember?"

Kenichi gulped at the thought.

"So? What _do_ we do?" He asked.

"We need to focus on righting this entire situation to begin with." Haruka said. "Which means finding out who caused it, why, and how. Then we find out how to fix it, and we do just that. If we can return to our own worlds… or split this one back apart… then we'll at least only have our own problems to deal with."

"True enough," Usagi said. "But at the same time, we fight. They may not be from our world, but we can't turn a blind eye to the activities of these new enemies. We investigate this _Yami_ organization, and we fight any youkai we find."

The group turned to look at her. Gone was the carefree blonde; her expression had hardened, and her voice had sounded different then, authoritative even.

Chikage frowned.

"Hmm."

Kenichi glanced down at her.

"Something wrong, Chikage-chan?"

She mutely shook her head.

"Can we count on your assistance?" Usagi asked, looking between Ranma, Kenichi, and Yusuke. "I am aware that you lack the power you once had, but your experience and knowledge would be helpful to us nonetheless."

Yusuke shrugged.

"Look, let's straighten one thing out first," He said. "Not all youkai are evil. I was working under that mindset when I was a spirit detective in my world for a long time, until I found out that some of them were just like us, and only fighting because they had to. The blood thirsty ones I'll help you kill, but if they aren't hurting anyone, then you're going to have to go _through_ me if you want to hurt _them_."

Most of the Senshi looked taken aback at his statement, but Usagi merely nodded.

"Very well." She said.

"Then sure, I'll help out." He said. "But don't expect me to come running every time you need help. I've got things I gotta take care of, too."

Usagi nodded again and turned to look at Ranma, who shrugged.

"Ehh, I guess," She said. "I've got to get back in shape, but yeah sure whatever."

She nodded again and turned to face Kenichi.

"I'd be happy to help," Kenichi said. "But… I'm gonna have to get back into shape too. And I really don't know what a guy like me could do against demons…" He said.

They arrived to see the group of blankets that the Senshi and Ranma had left earlier in their hurry to combat the monster. They were exactly as they'd been left.

"Well, we really need to check in on our friends in the hospital, and fill them in," Usagi said, her previous cheerful demeanor returning.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," Ranma said. "I need to get back to my training, too."

"We'll have to keep in contact somehow," Rei said. "Think we could exchange some phone numbers?"

Yusuke was the only one not to nod, and they all began to retrieve their phones.

"I got nothin' really," he said with a shrug. "Didn't even have clothes when I woke up this morning."

They all stared at him.

"Serious," He said with a scowl. "Two bastards I know sort of abandoned me with nothing more than a hospital sheet. And the wind took even that from me,"

Haruka, Ranma and Kenichi had sympathetic looks on their faces, while the others looked appalled. Ranma cleared her throat and spoke up,

"Well, do you know this area? Maybe we can meet up somewhere around here,"

He shook his head.

"No way, I used to live in another ward," He said. "I'm lost right now."

Ranma chuckled.

"You and me both, man," She muttered.

-x-x-x-

After exchanging phone numbers, the Senshi gathered up their belongings and took off after some short goodbyes, eager to visit their friends in the hospital, leaving Ranma, Kenichi, Honoka, Chikage, and Yusuke in the park.

"So you guys are all martial artists?" Ranma asked, looking at each one.

"Ehh, I guess," Yusuke said. "I didn't learn karate or anything like that until Master Genkai," He said with a shrug. "I just consider it all different types of fighting, you know? I'm more of a brawler if you catch my drift."

"Yeah, I gotcha," Ranma said. She turned to look at Kenichi. "What about you?"

"Well, I uh, I know Karate… Jujutsu, Muay Thai, Kung Fu, and I've been studying a few weapon styles," He said. "I don't use weapons, but I can apply some of the tenets to my martial arts."

Ranma nodded.

"Nice," She said. "Maybe we can spar some time?" She asked.

Kenichi chuckled.

"Well, I donno…" He said.

"If you can really put up a fight, sure," Yusuke said. "But don't cry if I hurt you."

"I would like to participate in such an arrangement." Chikage said.

Honoka looked over at Kenichi.

"It sounds fun," she said. "Why don't you wanna join in? You… you're a disciple of katsujinken, right?"

He sighed.

"Well, yeah, guess, but I really need to do my basic training," He said. "My masters always said that a strong foundation was the most important aspect, and I know I'd have died if not for their training."

Ranma nodded, while Yusuke shrugged.

"Eh, I always learned best by doing," He said. "Fighting included."

"I think we can help each other out though," She said. "You can't do all the training your masters had you do alone, right? And we all need someone to keep us on our toes. As far as I know, none of _my_ old rivals are around, and I'm guessing the same is true for you guys, right?"

Kenichi chuckled.

'_Well, Tanimoto-kun is "around" but I wouldn't say he's in the best shape for sparring… it'd be nice not having to fight delinquents or people out to kill me, though.'_

"So maybe we can all meet up somewhere or something every day, and work out. Sound cool?" Ranma asked.

Kenichi nodded.

"I'd like that, actually," He said with a smile.

She smirked back.

"Alright," She said. "Just as long as you don't cry if we hurt you."

Yusuke chuckled while Kenichi shuddered.

"Well, er, I don't exactly live around here, anyway," He said. "Meeting up every day is going to be a little hard. I live in another district. I was a live-in disciple in my world, so the dojo was always there, but this wouldn't be nearly as convenient. We've got to think of the money, and the travel time…" He trailed off. "Sorry, I'm not trying to dissuade you or anything, it's just, these issues are important."

Ranma hastily nodded her understanding.

"Yeah, yeah, I get where you're coming from. Hmm… any ideas?" She asked, looking around.

"Coming should not be an issue," Chikage said. "As long as we have money, we will be able to come and return to our homes. A little more travel time than you're used to is a small sacrifice for the art."

Kenichi shook his head.

"That's not what I mean," he said. "The time we spend traveling means less training." He said. "And there's also the… _monsters _to consider."

She blinked.

"Of course…" She muttered.

Ranma sighed.

"We'll figure it out," she said. "As it is, I'm a long way from home right now, so I should actually get started on the way back, or they're going to worry about me," she said. "I jogged here from my house because I thought it'd be a good work out, and because those girls and I needed to talk about this mess we're in, but I got caught up in that fight."

Yusuke nodded.

"Aight," He said. "See you later, school girl."

She frowned.

"School girl?"

He snorted.

"Yeah, _school girl_."

It was then that Ranma realized where she'd seen him before.

"_You!"_ She shouted, pointing at him. "You're that jerk from the other day! Who got… the shit kicked out of him…" She frowned. "How the hell did you _heal_ so fast?"

He shrugged.

"Like I said, there are youkai that aren't totally bad," He said. "A friend healed me."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Huh."

Yusuke turned and started walking away, waving a single hand in the air.

"I'll be around," He said. "This area looks a little familiar. If I can find that dumb school, I should be able find the dump where I woke up. Thanks for reminding me, babe."

Ranma growled.

"I'm not a girl, damn it!" She snapped.

Everyone stared at her.

She blinked, realizing their attention was on her, and chuckled nervously.

"Err, that is… I… uh… want to be treated with the same respect as men…eheheh…"

Kenichi made a silent _ah_ with his mouth, while Yusuke rolled his eyes and continued walking away.

"Whatever. Later!"

Ranma sighed and shook her head, then turned and started jogging away.

"We'll talk later!" She called out, glancing back at the three who remained and waving over her shoulder.

Honoka looked up at her brother, who waved back at the redhead with a smile on his face.

Once both Yusuke and Ranma were out of sight, he slumped over and clutched his head.

"Monsters are _**real**__ and my masters are still nowhere to be found!_ We're gonna die! _WE'RE GONNA DIE!_"

Honoka sighed at her brother's antics, while Chikage simply turned and started walking.

"We still have a few dojos to search." She said.

-x-_**Ranma**_-x-

Ranma fought back a wince at every other step she took, but soldiered on despite the pain in her foot. The idea had been to speed up toughening her feet, but she hadn't counted on being in a place full of sharp objects like that. She was jogging along the sidewalk near her school, and had just passed where she'd run into Haruka and Michiru earlier. The streets weren't nearly as crowded as they'd been before; she passed maybe one or two people per block. As far as she could tell, everyone had cleared out of the area due to the kaiju attack.

'_Man, I'd have loved to be able to actually __**help**__,' _ She thought. As she considered the battle, she recalled how her body had moved with reflexes more like what she was used to. It wasn't the kind of progression that she could have attained from the two or so days of training that she'd been doing; no, it was more like her body was _remembering. _There was also the fact that, unlike the day before, despite all she'd done that morning and during the fight, she was not tired. She'd been winded after the battle, but now she was just a little sore. There was definitely some steam left in her yet. '_Okay, maybe I'll just go to the park and exercise some more.'_ She thought.

Then her stomach growled.

'_But before that, I need some grub. Man am I starving.' _She thought with a frown. She reached in her top and pulled out her cellphone. On checking it she noticed that it'd been an hour since she'd met with the senshiat the park. She'd gone straight there after exercising, so it was no surprise she was so hungry.

She suddenly stopped and jumped back just in time to avoid a dark shape flying out of an alleyway.

Ranma watched as the familiar form of the lost boy rolled across the pavement, grappling with a man in all black. Ryouga threw his opponent away, and the man flipped in the air, landing on his feet. Now that she could see him clearly, she noticed that he was wearing a very stereotypical ninja outfit. Ryouga on the other hand was wearing his usual get up; trademark bandana, faded yellow tunic, black pants, black boots, and a big backpack filled with camping gear and souvenirs. His umbrella was in hand, currently closed.

"_Ryouga?!"_ She cried out. "What the hell are you doing here? Wait, no, never mind that. Who the hell are you fighting?" She demanded.

He looked over at her in utter confusion.

"Ranma? What are you doing in _Albuquerque?"_

She shook her head, relief flooding her as she realized he knew who she was.

"Dude, you're in Azabu Juuban," She said. "Minato ward? _Hellooo?_"

Ryouga blinked, looking around.

"What? But I could have sworn I was just at _Los Pollos Hermanos_…"

"Enough games!" The ninja barked. "You will tell us how you found our base, _now!_"

Ranma blinked in confusion.

'_Us? Our?'_

It was then that a number of other ninjas came out of hiding and surrounded them.

"Look, I'm telling you, this is some sort of _mistake!_" Ryouga snapped back at the man with a growl. "I was just looking for the bathroom!"

The ninja snorted.

"Take us for fools, eh? Fine! Then just die!"

Ranma took a step back as she watched the ninjas attack her friend. One by one the lost boy fought them all off, dealing swift, decisive blows to each one the moment they approached. She narrowed her eyes as she watched his performance; right away she could tell that he was nowhere near top form. He was still Ryouga though; his style was exactly the same and his monstrous strength was nothing to sneeze at. She had a feeling that he was nowhere near as tough as he'd once been, but given her _own _current state, there was probably no way she could hurt him anyway.

Soon, Ryouga stood over a broken, groaning pile of ninjas, clenching his fists and panting. Satisfied that they wouldn't be getting up again anytime soon, he turned his attention back to Ranma and walked over to her. She had crossed her arms and was now staring at him in annoyance.

"About time, sheesh."

The lost boy scowled at her, showing off his prominent canines.

"Ranma!" He growled. "Where did you put the dojo!"

Ranma sighed.

"It wasn't me, man."

Ryouga blinked.

"What?"

She sighed and walked over, then patted his shoulder.

"Listen, it's a long story. C'mon," She said, walking away. "Let's talk it over lunch, my treat. Whaddya say?"

Ryouga blinked.

"Your _treat?_ Uh oh… don't tell me… you too?"

It wasn't hard for her to figure out what he was getting at.

"You moron, if I'd been affected too, I wouldn't know what damn dojo you're even talking about," She said.

Ryouga stopped walking to stare at her.

"You… wouldn't?" He asked.

She nodded.

"Ryouga… the dojo's _gone._"

Ryouga stared at her in silence. After a brief moment, he finally blinked.

"You're serious." He said, matter-of-factly.

"As far as I can tell it never even existed," She said with a shrug. "Come on, I'll tell you everything I know, but I need some grub bad."

-x-x-x-

"So let me get this straight," Ryouga said. He and Ranma were sitting at a table in a cheap diner, a pile of empty dishes before each, and he had to raise his voice to speak over the hum of the crowd in the background and the sounds of cooking coming from the kitchen. "We're in some kind of alternate universe… which is the result of some_thing – _we don't even have a clue really - fusing a bunch of different worlds together. And now there's murderous demons and martial artists running around."

She nodded. Ryouga stared at her with confusion.

"So what exactly has _changed?_"

"Well," she said, holding a finger up. "… the dojo's gone, anyway. So are the amazons and I can't find a trace of Ukyo either."

Ryouga tilted his head.

"I'd thought it was just me being me, but Nerima's actually a different place now?"

She nodded.

"Anyways, a kaiju just destroyed a city block and killed who knows how many people. You shoulda been there, man. Really coulda used your help."

Ryouga frowned.

"Just now?"

She nodded.

"Just now. I was there. Helped take 'em out."

The lost boy sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"I don't know how much help I could be," He said with a sigh. "I'm… not as strong as I once was."

She frowned.

"I noticed," she said. "But I'm nowhere _near_ where I used to be."

He blinked and looked down at her.

"C'mon, try and sense my ki."

Ryouga leaned forward, narrowed his eyes and stared at her for several long moments… before he suddenly burst out laughing. The teen laughed so hard and loud that people turned to look at them. He fell back in his chair, and rolled out onto the ground, slapping it.

"HAahaHAHAAHAahahaah!"

Ranma scowled at him and stood up.

"You jerk!" She said through clenched teeth. "This isn't funny!"

Ryouga's laughter calmed down and the teen got up and started to fix his chair… But before long, a snigger escaped, then a giggle, before he collapsed into another laughing fit, even louder than before, pointing at her and slapping the ground.

"_**HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**_"

"_Ryougaaa! SHUT UP!_"

A waitress approached the two.

"Um, excuse me," The woman said. "Do you think you could tone it down? The noise level is bothering our other customers,"

Ranma looked around, suddenly feeling very self-conscious as she noticed the looks of contempt and annoyance being sent their way.

"Um, I'm very sorry, he's just an idiot, that's all," She said, bowing to the waitress. "I'm very sorry about this!"

"Er, it's… alright, just… please try to calm your boyfriend down…" She said.

Ranma's jaw dropped.

"_**HE'S NOT MY BOYFRIEND!**_" She hollered.

The woman was taken aback by her sudden shout.

"Oh? Ah, my apologies, then," She said, bowing. "Whatever the case, please, try to consider the other customers, or we will have to ask you to leave."

Suddenly, there was a very loud crash, and indistinct yells of men and women in the kitchen could be heard. Everyone turned to face the source of the new sound, including both Ranma and Ryouga. Both frowned at the sound of a familiar, feminine voice yelling in Chinese. They shared a hopeful glance and Ryouga climbed up to his feet just before there was yet another crash and the wall separating the diner from the kitchen exploded, revealing Shampoo in all her glory, her signature Chúi in each hand. Her eyes flit about the room, searching, before they fell upon the two displaced martial artists, who stared back at her rather casually. Her face lit up with rage, and she pointed.

"Hibiki Ryouga! You I _**kill!**_"

Ryouga blinked.

"Come again?"

She yelled something in Chinese before suddenly lunging at him with a flying kick that he ducked to avoid. She passed over their table, crashing into their mountain of dishes and sending it clattering to the floor, where they all broke. She roared and swung one of her maces at the table and sent it flying at him, but he deflected it, sending it flying through one of the diner's windows. Shampoo seized the opening that'd made and leapt at him, but he recovered fast enough to block her next swing with both arms.

"Shampoo?!" Ryouga yelled. "What the hell are you doing?!"

Ranma took a step back.

"Uh, Ryouga, I don't think that's _our_ Shampoo." She said.

Shampoo's only response was to break away from Ryouga, only to reengage, swinging both Chúi at him hard enough to send him crashing into another occupied table and knock it over. She roared and leapt up, swinging her maces overhead for what would very obviously be a finishing blow, but he rolled to the side to avoid it, leaving her weapon to hit the ground, making a large crater.

It was at this point that pandemonium broke out. The other patrons and restaurant staff were broken out of their shocked stupor and began to evacuate the building, screaming all the while.

Shampoo continued her relentless assault, swing after swing, all with lethal intent. Ryouga blocked and deflected every attack, but did not counter.

"Just what-" He ducked under a horizontal swing, "the _hell_," He stepped back to avoid another overhead, "is going," he deflected a thrust that would have crushed his ribcage with his left arm, "_on here!_" he caught both of her maces.

Shampoo spat in his face, and he jerked back in surprise. A vein popped out on his head as he closed his eyes.

Ranma sniggered.

"Okay," Ryouga said suddenly. "If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll _get!"_ With a roar of his own, he suddenly turned, swinging her around, and released the maces, sending her flying into a flat screen TV hanging high up on the wall. The television was destroyed instantly as she plowed through it and into the wall behind it.

The Chinese girl recovered almost immediately, though, and crawled out of her hole, dropping down to the floor. She landed on both feet, and kicked a nearby chair at him before lunging. Ryouga caught the chair and threw it back at her, and she smashed it with one of her maces in midair. It fell down to the floor in a crumpled heap as the two engaged once more.

Ranma crossed her arms and watched as their fight continued. The two traded vicious blow after vicious blow, demolishing the diner in the process. Broken chairs, tables, and dishes littered the floor. A few ceiling fans had been destroyed, and several more televisions were obliterated over the course of their fight. She mentally noted that the purple haired girl's fighting style was the same as it'd always been, but that the girl actually seemed a bit _stronger_ than before.

"Hello there."

Ranma blinked and turned to look to her side. There, sitting on top of her signature cane, was none other than Cologne herself.

"Old Ghoul," Ranma said, by reflex.

The aged Chinese woman glared.

"I am most certainly _not_ a ghoul," She said, giving the redhead a conk on the head with her cane. "You should _respect_ your elders, girl." She muttered something in Chinese, before, "What are these barbarians teaching their children these days… honestly."

Ranma frowned as she rubbed the new sore spot on her head. Cologne had just called her _girl_.

"…uh, sorry." The redhead said. She paused. "Why is she trying to kill him?"

The ancient martial arts master sighed as she turned to watch the battle.

"It's complicated," She said, fetching a pipe from her robes. She lit the pipe with a burst of chi from her finger, then put it in her mouth.

Ranma frowned.

"Did he beat her in a fight?"

The old woman looked up at her.

"How did you know that?" She asked.

Ranma blinked.

"Uhm… well… you're Joketsuzoku, right? I uh… read about it."

Cologne stared at her.

"Don't lie to me, girl. How do you know about that?"

Ranma frowned.

"It's complicated." She said with a heavy sigh.

Cologne scrutinized her closely again, but nodded.

"Fair enough." She turned to watch the battle once more. "You'd be correct. He did indeed defeat her in fair combat."

Ranma frowned as she too turned to watch the battle.

"Okay, so why is she trying to kill him? Doesn't she have to… _marry him?"_

Cologne nodded.

"She did," She said. "There's no law in our tribe that says you can't kill your husband, though. Quite the opposite; if a man who defeated you once can be killed by you, then the reason for marrying him in the first place becomes null."

Ranma glanced at her.

"You don't say." She turned back to watch the battle. "Somehow, I'm not surprised."

"Hn." Cologne turned away. "He should be getting here any minute now…"

Ranma blinked and looked down at her.

"Who should?"

"The reason why Shampoo wants a divorce," The old woman said.

"_**Shampoo!**_" Boomed yet another familiar voice from outside.

Immediately the purple haired girl stopped fighting and turned to face the voice. She and Ryouga had been mid-grapple and were trading blows, but Ryouga stopped mid-punch on seeing her own reaction. The front entrance exploded as none other than Mousse ran into the diner… pushing a ramen cart. He looked much the same as well, but something was missing.

'_Ah,_' Ranma realized. '_No glasses.'_

"Shampoo! Did you find him!?"

Shampoo gently caressed Ryouga and smiled softly.

"Yes," She said. "My husband is right here!"

Mousse sighed in audible relief, shaking his head.

"Oh, good. _Finally! _Man, Hibiki, you sure get around!" He laughed.

Ranma stared at Mousse.

Ryouga stared at Shampoo.

"Hey…" Mousse began, narrowing his eyes as he scrutinized the lost boy. "Those aren't bruises, are they?" The Chinese boy frowned. "You haven't been _mistreating_ your husband, have you, Shampoo?"

"No! Never!" Shampoo said, holding Ryouga's head close to her bosom. "Is hickey! Shampoo only too too happy to show affection for husband!"

Mousse laughed again.

"Hahaha! My mistake then!" He shook his head. "But try not to do such things in public, you two! Hahaha!"And with that, he backed out of the diner, pulling the ramen cart with him. "Cologne! I'm going to find a good place to set up shop!" He called out. "_Please_ try to keep Hibiki from getting lost _again!_"

The walls above the entrance caved in when he had fully dislodged the cart.

"Such a tall order," Cologne said, shaking her head.

Shampoo released Ryouga and calmly walked out of the diner, using the hole Mousse had just made.

Ranma and Ryouga shared a glance, before turning to watch her walk off.

Cologne walked over to Ryouga and held up her cane.

"Well, come on, you. We don't have all day."

Ryouga stared down at her.

"What?"

"I said come on," she snapped. "So grab the cane and follow me! And no matter what, do _not_ let go, or I swear to my ancestors, so help me, I'll crack your nuts open!"

Both Ranma and Ryouga cringed at the threat. Ryouga mutely did as he was told, and Ranma followed after.

"Um, excuse me… _granny?_" Ranma began.

"Yes, child?"

"Just what is going on here?"

Cologne sighed.

"To be brief," she said. "This young man defeated my great-granddaughter in a fight. However, she's had her eyes on someone else for a very long time, and despite their marriage, she is not ready to give up on that other young man."

Both Ranma and Ryouga stared at her.

"_Shampoo likes Mousse?_" They asked in unison.

"I would say it's a much stronger feeling than _like_," Cologne said with a sigh as they exited the diner. "She's head over heels in love."

None bothered to look as the diner collapsed behind them.

-x-x-x-

The scene they came upon was a strange one. Mousse was busy setting up a ramen stall on the side of a busy street, and Shampoo nigh on clinging to him.

"Shampoo," Mousse muttered, glancing up at Ryouga. "I'm a little busy here…" He said.

"Shampoo only want to help," The purple haired girl said, looking at Mousse with adoration. "What do?"

"Um… well… I can handle this… _alone…_" The boy said uncomfortably. "Oh, look! The man himself, in the flesh!" The Chinese martial artist broke away from Shampoo with ease and approached Ryouga with a big smile. As he leaned in and whispered. "Boy am I glad to see you!_"_

Ryouga blinked.

"Uh… huh?"

"Hahaah!" Mousse stood straight and gave Ryouga a rigorous pat on the back. "And just who is this absolutely _stunning_ friend of yours, hmm?" He asked, looking at Ranma.

It was Ranma's turn to blink. But then a second later, she remembered that she was, indeed, stunning, and smirked.

"Uhh, this… is Ranma," Ryouga said, gesturing the barefoot girl. "Saotome Ranma."

Ranma bowed.

"Nice to meet all of you," She said.

"Mm." Cologne pogoed over to the stall, and picked up where Mousse had left off. "So, girl. I see Muko-dono here has told you a bit about us. Why not tell us about yourself?"

"Uhhh… well, I'm… heir to the Saotome Musabetsu Kakutou Ryuu…" She said.

Cologned looked up at her.

"_Musabetsu Kakutou Ryuu?_" She asked, eyes narrowed. "You… you're one of _Happi's?_"

"Huh?" Ranma blinked. "That old goat? No way," she said. "My pop taught me,"

Cologne considered that.

"And you're the style's heir, you say?"

She nodded.

Cologne frowned.

"Interesting… perhaps you can spar with my Shampoo some time?"

Ranma rapidly shook her head.

"No way, nuh-uh, sorry," She said, crossing her arms in an X shape. "I don't think so."

Cologne snorted.

"Sparring does not count as a duel, girl," She said. "She would not be under obligation to kill you… if you defeated her. Which, by the way, I just don't see happening."

Ranma frowned.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, girl," The aged master said, returning to her work. "There's no way you could defeat Shampoo. Not as out of shape as you are. You have skill, that much is certain, but no muscle. Do you even train at all? I can only wonder what sort of master would name you heir."

Ranma's eye ticked.

"I could take Shampoo _anytime!_"

Shampoo laughed out loud. It was genuine, full of mirth and derision.

"Hahaha! Weak Japanese girl too, _too_ stupid if think can defeat Shampoo in honorable combat!"

Ranma growled.

"Oh yeah? You think so!? Fine! Let's go! I'll take you on any day of the week!"

Ryouga paled.

"Uhh… Ranma…"

Ranma turned to glare at him.

"_What?!"_

"Oh, _I don't know_, uhm… this sounds more like a _challenge_ to me than an invitation to spar. You know… _challenge? _To a _duel?_"

Ranma froze, and Cologne cackled.

"Just when I'm convinced you're not the sharpest arrow in the quiver, you go and surprise me. Nicely done, Muko-dono."

Ranma turned to look at Cologne with a frown.

"You were trying to trick me into dueling with her?!"

Cologne chuckled.

"Trying? I succeeded, girl. You already challenged her. It's up to her to accept."

Shampoo snickered.

"Out of kindness of Shampoo heart… Shampoo decline challenge," She said. "No like hurting weaklings. Waste of time."

Ranma felt her anger rising further and faster than it had since Phoenix Mountain.

"_Weakling?_" She growled. "_Waste of time?"_

"Whoa, whoa," Mousse said, holding up his hands. "Let's all just calm down here, okay?"

Ranma turned to glare at him.

"Look, please, accept my apology on Shampoo's behalf," He said. "She can be rather insensitive sometimes."

Ranma looked at him with incredulity.

"What? _No!_" She turned and pointed at Shampoo. "Shampoo! Let's spar!"

Shampoo snorted.

"No. Shampoo already turn down weak girl," She said, crossing her arms. "No interest in fighting weaklings."

Ranma stared at her.

"If fight weaklings, Shampoo only get _weaker._" The purple haired girl continued.

That was the last straw.

In a flash, faster than she'd moved since waking up in that ridiculous bed, Ranma was flying at Shampoo in a kick aimed for her face. The other girl only had enough time to respond with a look of shock.

And then Mousse was standing there before her, his arms raised in a cross block. Her kick hit him dead on… but she did not budge him an inch.

Ranma dropped down to the ground and landed in a crouch. She stood up and stared at him.

"Hmm. Impressive form, Saotome-san," Cologne began. "Very impressive. However, I would advise you not to attack my granddaughter outside of the pretext of sparring. If you do, she would be within rights to consider the fight a duel."

Ranma frowned.

"Alright then," She said, fixing a glare on Shampoo. "Shampoo. _Want to spar?_"

Shampoo narrowed her eyes.

"…Fine. Shampoo spar with you." She looked over at Cologne. "If okay with great-grandmother."

Cologne chuckled and glanced at Ranma.

"Go ahead, child. Mousse! _Get to work!_"

Ranma nodded at Cologne appreciatively.

"Okay, silly girl. Where we sparring at?"

Ranma looked around. They were still in the neighborhood of the park where she'd met the Senshi.

"I know a park nearby," Ranma said. "Lots of open space."

Shampoo nodded.

"Sound good to Shampoo."

Ranma turned and started walking, and Shampoo followed after. Ryouga glanced at Cologne and Mousse, then followed after.

A small, wrinkled hand grabbed his ear and then pulled him to the ground.

"Owww!"

"And just _where_ do you think _you're_ going?"

"I'm going to watch them fight, of course!" He snapped. "What else?"

"Tch! Idiot. You, follow someone on your own?" She snorted. "We've been looking for you for _weeks! _Haven't even finished setting up shop yet! You're not going _anywhere_ alone. Oh no." She started walking after the two herself, dragging him by the ear. "_I'm_ leading."

"Ow! _Owww! Stop that!_ Ow!" Ryouga whined. "What about your stand!?"

"Mousse can take care of that," She said. "Now _shut up_ and _stay close!_"

"Let go of my ear you old biddy!"

He received a whap from the cane for his troubles.

Up ahead, Ranma was calmly surveying Shampoo. The other girl seemed to actually be taking her seriously now, but she was exuding an air of confidence all the same. She _knew_ she could beat Ranma.

'_She's stronger than me,'_ Ranma thought as they walked. '_Faster, better reflexes. But she doesn't know The Art like I do, and she also doesn't know that I know her style.' _She frowned. '_I'll have to use every dirty trick in the book. One clean hit from her might be the end.' _

About five minutes later they reached the park. It had since been vacated by all of the people she'd met earlier, and the only others there were a young boy was playing with his dog and an old man sitting on a bench reading a book.

"Here?" Shampoo asked.

Ranma nodded.

"What are rules?"

Ranma smirked.

"I told you, I am the heir to Musabetsu Kakutou Ryuu_." _She said. "_Anything goes_."

Shampoo nodded.

The two turned to face each other and took a few steps back.

And then the battle was joined.

-x-_**Kenichi**_-x-

The sun was halfway set by the time Kenichi, Chikage, and Honoka all exited their local train station. The three martial artists walked together along the streets of their hometown in silence. They passed under a street light just as it and others on the street flickered on, bathing them in an artificial white glow.

"Band-Aid," Chikage began. "I wish to talk."

He and Honoka looked at her.

"Alone." The side-tail sporting girl added.

Kenichi frowned, but then nodded, and looked down at Honoka.

"I'm sorry, could you go ahead of us?" He asked.

The younger Shirahama sibling frowned at her brother's request.

"Exactly _what_ are you trying to talk to my brother about all alone?" She asked. "Huh? Huh?"

"Things that do not concern you." Chikage said. Her usual deadpan stare had an edge to it; to an outside observer, it wouldn't have been noticeable, but to Kenichi, it was as sharp as any glare. "It is a personal matter."

Kenichi watched the staring contest unfold and sighed.

"_Please_, Honoka."

Honoka looked at her brother in surprise. He had a serious expression on his face that she hadn't expected in this other girl's favor. Her own expression melted, and finally she nodded.

"I'll… be waiting," She said, before turning and running off.

Kenichi frowned as she went, sure that he'd be paying for that later.

"Alright," He said, turning to look at Chikage with a sigh. "What's up?"

"Why didn't you tell them?" She asked.

He blinked.

"Tell them? What?"

"Tell them," She repeated, "that I am a member of YOMI."

He frowned.

"It… didn't seem necessary?" He said. "I mean, you're not a member of the YOMI in this world."

She narrowed her eyes.

"So I suppose that means you're not a disciple of the Katsujinken in this world?"

He frowned.

"What? No, of, of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

She nodded.

"Indeed. Why not?"

He was taken aback by her question, but it suddenly hit him what she was getting at.

"I… I didn't mean any _offense,_" He said. "I just… I didn't want them to treat you badly."

Her eyes widened ever so slightly, almost imperceptibly. Again, to Kenichi, it was a sign as obvious as a blaring siren.

"We are friends," He said. "Even if you are… a _Satsujinken _follower."

She lowered her head.

"That girl had it wrong." She said quietly. "The Satsujinken does not propagate evil. Martial Arts is neutral. It cannot be divided up into such base terms as good and evil."

"Murder is always evil, Chikage-chan," Kenichi said with a sad smile. "You may think that good and evil are 'base' qualities, but I truly believe in this."

She tilted her head up at him, looking up at him in obvious wonder.

"One such as you could never achieve Zen."

He shrugged.

"That's alright." He turned away. "As long as my friends are safe, I'm satisfied. As long as I get to experience another day full of laughter and fun with the people I love, I'm happy. There is no reason to spill blood… there's never a reason to spill blood. Between human beings, there will always be the option to resolve things peacefully."

She remained silent as they walked.

"Besides," Kenichi continued. "You don't have to kill to achieve Zen."

She shook her head.

"You misunderstand. Zen is not about doing one thing or another, or not doing one thing or another, for the sake of achieving _anything_. It is about balance. That is all."

Neither spoke after that. It wasn't until ten minutes later that Chikage broke the silence.

"One thing about this whole situation concerns me." She said, looking up at the power lines overhead. "No one bothered to consider the fact that we may not be the only ones."

Kenichi blinked.

"What?"

"There may be other worlds and histories that have fused with ours," She said. "And there's nothing to stop even more from doing the same in the future. We could be reverted back to stone-age technology in an instant… our species may even cease to exist, or the planet itself may even be obliterated from a random event that happened in the past of some other universe, such as an asteroid impact… we could suddenly be faced with fallout from a nuclear holocaust. Anything could happen, anything could change."

Kenichi shivered as he considered her words.

"I sure hope nothing that bad happens," he muttered. '_Those people with magic might be able to do something about it… but we'd die for sure._'

-x-_**Haruka**_-x-

Haruka glanced over at her girlfriend, who was sitting in the passenger seat of her car as she sped along the expressway in the dark of night.

"It sounds like we have a lot to deal with," Michiru said with a heavy sigh. "I'm worried about this _Yami_ organization. Since they remember _this_ world's history, it's quite possible they've known about us much longer than we have them."

"We're going to have to do a lot of digging. Discreet," Haruka said. "I'd like to hope that they're wrong and it doesn't exist, but that's just wishful thinking." She shook her head. "At the moment I'm more concerned about people knowing our Senshi identities. They can hurt us."

Michiru closed her eyes.

"The princess made that decision, and to be honest, better random people than the powers that be." She said. "What can you tell me about these people? Aside from Ranma, of course. Did they seem trustworthy?"

Haruka chuckled.

"If by trustworthy you mean they didn't have any obvious ulterior motives, yes. But that could just mean their ulterior motives aren't obvious."

Michiru sighed heavily.

"There are times when I wish we didn't have to worry about the security of an ancient, millennia old kingdom."

"You're telling me," Haruka snorted. "Especially when said kingdom currently consists of a single princess and eight soldiers."

Michiru chuckled.

"Mayhap we should stake our claim on the moon and planets. At least then we'll have some territory."

They both shared a laugh at that. When it was over, Haruka glanced over at her again.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"I'm fine." Michiru said.

Haruka reached up and started searching for stations on the radio.

"Well, you just worry about taking it easy for now,"

Michiru smiled, and glanced at her partner through one eye.

"You've made that very hard for me, Ten'ou Haruka. But I shall try." She said as a DJ's voice came on.

"…_by the popular pop unit, Zwei Wing, consisting of Amou Kanade and Kazanari Tsubasa, 'Gyakkou no Flugel'. For those not in the know, 'flugel' is German for wing, so it translates to 'The Backlit Wing'! Sort of like a wing that glows, I guess!? Anyways, hope you enjoy it!" _

The song had started during the end of the DJ's explanation. There was a short prelude before the lyrics began.

"_Kikoemasu ka?" Gekijou kanade~ru mujiiku  
Ten Ni  
To-ki-ha-na-te!_

-x-_**Usagi**_-x-

Both Usagi and Chibi-Usa sat in the back of Kenji's car as he drove away from the hospital.

"You have no idea how worried we were," Tsukino Ikuko said as she looked back at her daughter and 'niece' from her place in the passenger seat. "We're so fortunate that neither of you girls were hurt. It's a miracle that you and your friends all survived that mess," She said. "What were you _doing_ there anyway!? I thought you said you were going to a park to watch the eclipse!"

"Ah, eheheh…" both Usagis only laughed nervously in response.

"This city's just not safe anymore," Kenji grumbled. "First monster attacks, now _kaiju?_ What's next – _alien invasion?_"

"Don't say that, dear!" Ikuko scolded. "What if it comes true?"

Kenji sighed.

"I don't think we should wait." He said suddenly. "I can stay here to work, but we should really send them there _now_."

"What? _Now?_" Ikuko asked. "But Usagi just transferred in to her _current_ school! I thought you said we should wait until Chibi-Usa graduates middle school, at least?"

Usagi choked at being referred to as 'Chibi-Usa', while her time-displaced daughter sniggered.

"That's not an option," Kenji said. "They could have _died_ today. Many people _did._ Mahora Academy is far removed from all of this nonsense," He said. "They'll be much safer there."

Usagi made a face.

"Um, wait a minute," She said. "What are you talking about? _Transfer?_" She tilted her head. "But I don't want to change schools!"

Kenji glanced at her through the rearview mirror.

"It's not up to you decide, little girl," He said. "I know you have friends where you are, but Juuban is just too dangerous. I can't just up and quit my job, but you two and Shingo can stay at a boarding school," He said. "Your mother and I had chosen it for your high school already anyway. It costs money, but your safety is priceless," He said. "And there is no way you'll be safe in this monster ridden town."

Usagi's jaw dropped.

"But… but no! I can't! I _can't!"_

Both parents sighed heavily at her response.

"You'll make new friends, dear," Ikuko said. "But I agree… your father is right. It's not safe here anymore. Juuban is no longer a place for raising children, and the rest of Tokyo is almost as bad."

Usagi shook her head.

"No, you don't understand! I _can't _leave! I… I have… _obligations!_"

Both of her parents bodily turned to look at her.

"What did you say?" They asked.

Ikuko looked at her husband.

"Dear, the road, the _road!_"

Kenji turned back around just in time to see that they were about to swerve into incoming traffic, and jerked the car back into their lane.

"Whew! But did you really say _obligations?_"

Usagi nodded, which he again saw in the rearview mirror.

"Usagi…" He began. "…Do you know what that word _means?_ I'm surprised you even know how to say it!"

Usagi growled.

"Stop making fun of me!" She cried out.

"Your father has a point, dear," Her mother sighed. "Your scores aren't exactly the best. That's another reason we wanted you to attend this Mahora academy. I read an article about a teacher who turned a failing class into one of their top scorers."

Usagi groaned.

"But, I'm trying! I swear, I'll get my scores up! Just let me stay!"

"This decision is final," Kenji said. "Right, honey?"

Ikuko nodded.

"I'm sorry, Chibi-Usa-chan, but this is for the best."

One look at her parents and Usagi knew that their minds were made up. She sank into her seat and groaned.

'_Great… just great… how am I doing to fix this?_'

-x-_**Hiei**_-x-

Hiei lounged lazily under the dim lighting in the same gentleman's club as the previous night, sitting back in a plush chair with his feet up on a small table before him. He reached over to another, identical table beside him and picked up an old fashioned glass with a look of disdain on his face. His chair was surrounded by numerous similar chairs, all filled with patrons. There were humans and youkai alike – some there for business, as he, and others for pleasure. He held a hand over his beverage and rubbed his index finger and thumb together for a few seconds before snapping them. Immediately, the cocktail lit up with a dim blue flame. Satisfied, he lifted the cocktail to his lips and drank.

"Hello, Hiei."

He didn't even turn to see Kurama sitting beside him. He set his flaming drink down and folded his hands behind his head.

"One question, before we start. Did we really need to leave him with just a sheet?"

Hiei nodded.

"Of course. Now, what did you find out?"

"Quite a bit."

Hiei glanced at him.

"Do tell."

Yoko Kurama stretched his arms over his head and leaned back in his seat, but kept his eyes on the stage before them, where several dancers were busy showing off their bodies.

"Mmm… as we'd guessed, the void that big players such as ourselves left in Makai was filled up by something else," He said. "You're never going to believe this, but there's actually just one King right now, one who was powerful enough to get all of Makai to kowtow to his power. No tournament or anything, he just did it on his own."

Hiei raised an eyebrow.

"Interesting."

"Mmhmm. From what I have been able to gather, he is indeed powerful. Even compared to the S-Class youkai that we know, at their best, he would be able to beat them into submission. He's already killed some of our acquaintances."

Hiei's eyes hardened.

"Enki."

Kurama looked surprised.

"Nice guess. Apparently an example was made," He said. "There can and will never be peace with humans, at least, not while our new king is at the top."

Hiei closed his eyes.

"I see. So he embraces the old ways." He chuckled. "That suits me just fine. I never cared particularly strongly for weaklings anyway."

"You care about Yusuke," Kurama pointed out. "He's not exactly strong right now."

Hiei snorted.

"Yusuke is no weakling. He will come back from this stronger than ever."

Kurama smiled.

"I'm surprised. Hiei, having _faith_ in someone?"

Hiei shook his head.

"If he didn't it'd mean that I was wrong about him in the first place. I'm just never wrong, that's all."

Kurama fought back a laugh.

"Is that so," he said.

"Hello, boys."

They both looked up to see the familiar green haired proprietress of the establishment standing over them with a tray in hand. She was wearing just as little as the dancers on stage, and had a cheeky smile.

"Miss Aensland," Kurama acknowledged, inclining his head.

"Is there anything I can get you? A particular drink… or private show, perhaps?" She said with a wink at Hiei.

Hiei said nothing in response, but Kurama considered her offer.

"An Orgasm, if you would," Kurama said with a mischievous smile.

Aensland chuckled.

"Right away," she said, walking off.

Hiei watched her leave, then turned to his friend.

"I'm assuming you meant that both ways."

Kurama's only response was to grin, and Hiei returned his attention to the stage.

"So," He began. "What's this king's name?"

Kurama's mirth slowly dissipated as he also returned his attention to the stage.

"Demise."


	4. Chapter 4

NOTE: This story was bumped up to M rating for a reason. There is some material in this chapter and the one that will follow it that may disturb some readers. You have been warned.

That said, I hope you can continue to enjoy my meager writing. I understand that, due to the nature of the story, I can only appeal to a very small niche audience. And so to everyone who has come this far with me, despite my lack of updates, poor writing technique, and characters unfamiliar to them, you have my heartfelt thanks. I hope my portrayal of the characters within that you do know meets your expectations. If my choices have offended or disappointed you in anyway, then I am sorry, but the story is as it is; many of the major plot points were all planned out before the first chapter was posted, and I won't abandon my plans unless necessary.

As always, if you find any mistakes, please let me know and I will try to fix them at the next available opportunity.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Ranma clenched her fists as she locked eyes with Shampoo. Both girls watched each other warily, their eyes straining to see the smallest twitch of muscle, the most minute of openings, the most infinitesimal of weaknesses; to any bystanders, it would have seemed as if the two teenagers were having naught but a staring contest, but to the expert observer, it was already a fierce engagement between two battle hardened warriors. Their auras clashed - Ranma's almost invisible embers of chi with Shampoo's raging bonfire - poking, prodding the other. Phantom feints and counters were traded as the two stood with a stillness that not even a statue could ever hope to attain.

Though Shampoo had no idea who Ranma was, or what exactly she was capable of, she had observed her opponent closely on their way to the park, and was able to infer a skill level far higher than she'd assumed at first. Ranma, for her part, had done the same, and quickly noticed some discrepancies with her own Shampoo; this one was slightly stronger, perhaps even more skilled – probably because she spent less time chasing after Ranma, and more time training (or trying to kill Ryouga). In the end, the same thoughts had echoed in each of their heads upon approaching the park.

_This girl is __**strong**__. _

_**Confident**__._

_She __**knows**__ she can win._

_I will __**not**__ underestimate her._

In the distance, Cologne watched with wide eyes.

'_Such a strange sight, this. To think that my Shampoo would be held in deadlock for so long at this stage by one so diminutive. At first I had thought this would simply be to teach an impudent upstart their place.' _She narrowed her eyes. _'What __**is**__ that girl?'_

A weak breeze carried some leaves through the air between them. When they were gone, there was finally a movement on Ranma's side. The red haired girl's arm flickered for an instant, but Shampoo ignored the invitation and the two remained locked in their phantom clash.

Ranma narrowed her eyes.

'_If I get hit once, it's over. On the other hand, with this body I can hit her as hard and as much as I want and I still won't be able to hurt her. Then…'_

Her fingers twitched.

Shampoo moved. She flew at Ranma in a blur, but the first punch missed. She drove the other girl back with a palm-thrust, then another punch, and a kick, but all missed as the red-head danced around each of her strikes. This continued for almost ten seconds until suddenly, Shampoo halted her assault and Ranma halted her retreat and both assumed defensive postures. The Chinese girl narrowed her eyes as she surveyed her opponent once more.

'_No counter?' _She thought in her native tongue with a frown. '_She isn't even trying to counter. She's putting everything into avoiding my attacks. Do I really have her cornered that badly?'_

Somehow, that didn't seem _right_.

"What's wrong?" Ranma asked with an innocent look. "Scared?"

Shampoo smirked.

"Shampoo just being careful not to break weakling in one hit."

Ranma's eye ticked, but Shampoo took advantage of the other girl's annoyance and moved before she could retort. She leapt at the other girl, her hand shooting for the redhead's neck with a savage burst of speed.

Ranma stepped to the side and gyrated, taking hold of Shampoo's arm with one hand and her shoulder with the other, then fell away from her opponent, adding the pull of her own weight to the strength of Shampoo's lunge, and released her, sending the teen flying straight into the grass. Shampoo braced herself with her other hand centimeters before her face hit the ground, and she winced at the pain that shoot up through her arm.

She quickly flipped away from Ranma, who was already back on her feet and staring at her from two meters away as if nothing had happened.

Shampoo stood up and frowned as she surveyed the girl again.

Ranma smirked.

"Almost got me th-"

Shampoo interrupted her taunt by springing at the red-head once more with a knife hand aimed at her stomach. Ranma stepped to the side once more, turning her body as she did so. The strike missed her by mere millimeters even as she moved to grab the other girl's extended arm once more, but Shampoo pulled away from her as she flew by and Ranma noticed a smirk on the girl's face.

Ranma winced as a sudden pain shot through her stomach. She jumped away, gritting her teeth while Shampoo turned to face her.

'_Her battle aura…'_ She narrowed her eyes. Even though Shampoo's hand hadn't touched her, her battle aura had grazed her.

"Japanese girl like talking big. Makes her feel big, yes?" Shampoo snorted. "But you so weak you hurt just from Shampoo punching near you."

Ranma simply stared back at her with cold indifference.

"Can't even hurt Shampoo. Can only hope Shampoo hurt self."

"Sounds like you're scared to attack," The redhead snorted.

Shampoo blurred into motion once more with a lunge and a flying kick– and then stopped dead in the air, eyes wide.

Ranma winced. Her fist was buried in the other girl's stomach. Instead of dancing or falling away, she'd narrowly avoided the attack while simultaneously bracing herself and moving _towards_ Shampoo in a simple straight punch, plunging her fist at the other girl's stomach. The resulting blow hit her target dead on. The majority of the force from the collision transferred into the ground, but at the same time sent pain throughout her extended arm and legs.

She immediately followed up on the opening it created, spinning and throwing the stunned girl into the grass. She took a step back rather than continue on; after all, it was ostensibly a _sparring session_, not an all-out beat-down. As long as it remained such, there would be no kiss of death afterwards… or so she hoped.

As Shampoo climbed to her feet, Ranma chuckled.

"Heh."

The purple haired girl looked upon her with anger and embarrassment, but also a newfound respect. Ranma wasn't holding her breath for a compliment, though.

"Shampoo come for real this time."

Ranma nodded.

Her opponent charged at her with fists flying. Ranma once again put everything she had into avoiding the other girl's relentless assault, but Shampoo was moving much faster than before, and each strike came within a hair's breadth of making contact. Ranma's muscles began to burn and sweat began to pour down her body as she forced herself to move faster than she had any right to with the body she had.

'_I can't keep this up,'_ She realized, jumping away from Shampoo. She could feel her muscles _tearing_ and the searing pain it sent shooting throughout her, but the other girl hounded her, and before she even knew what was going on she felt Shampoo's hands on her and she was flying through the air and on the ground. The grass cushioned her fall somewhat, but it still hurt a lot. She stared up in a daze, and it took her a moment to realize she was looking up at the sky. She grit her teeth and clumsily tried to prop herself up on one arm, but the mere movement caused a wave of vertigo to overtake her and she simply fell back down.

As the world swirled above her, lights flashing in her eyes, Ranma fought to even remain conscious, let alone lucid. The only thing that kept her aware was a spark of indignation, the righteous fury that came from having been robbed of something most dear. Raw emotion surged throughout her very being as her chi took on a strange heaviness unlike she'd ever experienced before. She grit her teeth as the world came into focus, and emotion gave way to thought.

'_I refuse to accept this! This isn't me! __**I am stronger than this!**__'_

And suddenly her chi exploded into being. Energy surged into her from deep within, and with a loud kiai she flew up off of the ground _at_ Shampoo so quickly that anyone watching would have seen afterimages as light itself struggled to keep pace with her. Shampoo's surprise almost stopped her from reacting, but she brought up a guard as Ranma slammed into her with a swarm of punches, but a number of them got through.

The girl let out a yell of her own as she compensated by deflecting each individual punch with a speed that mirrored Ranma's own. The pig-tailed martial artist suddenly dropped down to a crouch and sent a storm of kicks up at her opponent, but Shampoo jumped over them, swinging her foot down at Ranma's head in a forward somersault. Ranma tilted her body further down to avoid the swinging kick as Shampoo sailed over her, then immediately leapt into the air at her opponent straight from that position, spinning into a powerful reverse roundhouse.

Shampoo, having spun upside down after missing her kick, and thus now facing Ranma, brought both knees to bear and blocked the kick, then reached up to grab Ranma's leg, but it was pulled back before she could grasp it. They traded a number of blows in the air - most of which were blocked - righting their respective orientations all the while, and both continued even after touching the ground. Finally Shampoo managed to land a clean uppercut to Ranma's chin, but the redhead mitigated the damage by jumping into a backflip on impact, using the opportunity to kick Shampoo in return. Shampoo blocked her foot with both arms, but the sheer force of the flip-kick – assisted by Shampoo's own uppercut – was enough to send her sailing up into the air regardless.

Ranma finished her flip and landed clean on both feet, then rubbed her chin, and smirked.

She was back.

Bolstered on by that realization, she let out another loud kiai and summoned her battle aura, a wreathing flame of chi that towered over her.

"_Mouko Takabisha!" _She cried out, unleashing a massive blast of chi straight towards Shampoo's destination.

Shampoo's eyes widened and, unable to change her own trajectory, she called up her own battle aura and braced herself for impact, bringing her limbs to bear. With a kiai of her own, she absorbed the brunt of the blast, and she was not surprised to see Ranma screaming through the air at her right behind it. The pig-tailed fighter followed up with a merciless assault of punches and kicks, but the Joketsuzoku warrior weathered it all, absorbing every blow with her arms and legs. Finally the opportunity for a counter arrived, but as she moved to strike, Ranma suddenly changed forms and landed a clean blow on her now exposed stomach, sending her flying away even faster.

The Joketsuzoku girl sailed through the air and rolled backwards across the ground several times before pushing off the ground into the air and flipping so she landed on her feet. She coughed a few times, and her breaths were short, but she managed to maintain her posture. On seeing Ranma, she blinked.

The redhead was lying face down in the grass, unmoving.

Quickly deciding that the other girl had no reason to deceive her with such a tactic, she ran over to her side. Cologne and Ryouga were also there in an instant, and Shampoo glanced up at the wizened crone.

"What wrong, great-grandmother?"

Cologne narrowed her eyes as she stared down at Ranma's still form.

"She used up far more energy than she should have," She said. "She's unconscious. She'll be in quite a bit of pain when she wakes up, however. She forced more out of those flimsy muscles than should even be possible."

Ryouga shook his head.

"It's the other way around…" He growled. "Just that little bit shouldn't have even made him break a sweat. He really did lose everything…"

Though he'd mumbled the last bit, Cologne heard it clearly and looked over at him.

"_He?_ What are you talking about, boy?"

"Ranma," Ryouga said with a sigh. "I… guess you guys wouldn't know, but he's Jusenkyo cursed."

Cologne raised an eyebrow.

"Is that right?"

"_Oohhhh… ugh…_"

They all turned to look down at the redhead on hearing her pained groans.

"What the hell… hit me…"

"You did, boy." Cologne snapped. "You're lucky you didn't tear yourself apart. Or that Shampoo didn't, for that matter. It's a miracle that you haven't shattered every bone in your body."

Ranma's only response was to whimper some more.

"Uahh… ow…"

Cologne sighed.

"Shampoo, go get the needles. And some hot water, for that matter." she said. "This poor fool is going to need some real work if he is to survive."

Shampoo looked down at the redhead for a moment, then nodded at her great grandmother and took off towards the ramen cart. Colognge, meanwhile, surveyed the girl's back.

"_Hot water… won't work_…" Ranma gasped.

Cologne raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? And why's that?"

"_Locked…_"

"Locked?" Cologne frowned as she narrowed her eyes and scanned Ranma's meridians, and her eyes widened in shock on what she saw. "Boy, this curse isn't _locked_. It's _damaged beyond_ _repair!_ Just what _happened_ to you?"

Ranma whimpered again. Cologne sighed.

"I can see _you're_ going to be a big help." The old crone grumbled. She tapped a few spots on the girl's lower back, then looked over at Ryouga, who was just staring down at Ranma dumbly. "Boy, if you want to help, give him a massage."

Ryouga blinked.

"_Massage?"_

She nodded.

"So I can get to work on the more important part." She said.

Ryouga frowned, but knelt down and started to knead Ranma's back.

"Umm… like this?"

Cologne watched him for a moment, then nodded.

"That should be fine," She said, then narrowed her eyes and began to study Ranma's meridians in closer detail. '_Now… let's see how far reaching this damage really is…_'

-x-x-x-

Ranma groaned as she blinked her eyes open. Her entire body ached as if she'd been run over by a steamroller, and she could not quite remember why.

"Don't move."

The familiar voice of the old crone caused her to snap her head in its direction, but she immediately regretted the movement and let out a soft cry of pain.

"W-what… what happened to me?" She murmured, still trying to get her bearings. She was lying face up on a blanket, and she could see that it was night, but there was a fire nearby giving off light and warmth. She could smell strong incense in the air, and she had the distinct impression that Cologne was sitting next to the fire. They were still in the park; she could see the same tree that they had sat under to watch the eclipse overhead.

"Like I said earlier; _you_ did, boy."

Ranma blinked, confused. Cologne had just called her a boy? Was it _his_ old ghoul? Had the past few days been some terrible martial-arts coma induced dream?

"You fought well for someone so out of shape." The crone continued. "Better than should be possible, actually."

And then it all came back to her. The moments before she'd lost consciousness – her 'spar' with Shampoo.

"Ugh… uhh…" Ranma closed her eyes as she struggled to make a cohesive thought amidst all of her pain.

She blinked when the little old woman walked over to her side and held a steaming cup up to her mouth.

"Drink this."

The pig-tailed teen scrunched her nose up at the stench of whatever was in it.

"What… _is_ that?"

"It's _tea._" The old woman snapped. "Now open your mouth and _drink_ it."

The red-head winced, but opened her mouth and allowed the tiny old woman to pour it in. She fought hard not to gag at the taste, instead swallowing it all.

"Good." Cologne returned to her place by the fire and sat down, leaving Ranma to stare up at the night sky through the tree branches overhead. "I might have… something of an explanation for why you were able to fight so well."

Ranma didn't bother looking at her that time.

"Yeah?" She muttered.

"The magic from your curse," Cologne began. "Specifically, the raw magic energy that powered it, has merged with your chi."

Ranma blinked. That didn't sound good at all.

"Jusenkyo is powerful magic," The ancient woman began. "Chaos magic, at that. There's no telling what will happen, and as far as I know, no precedent to speak of."

Ranma groaned.

"So then," she said, "I was using… magic energy there?" She asked.

Cologne turned to look at her, watching quietly.

"Not quite," she said. "It's true that the magic from the curse has mixed with your chi, but… rather than actually channel the magical energy itself… it is as if you somehow warped reality, that you would be stronger than you were."

Ranma simply lay there, staring straight up in confusion.

"I… warped reality?"

Cologne shook her head.

"I can't know for certain what caused it. What I do know is that your entire body has changed," she said. "You have more muscle than you did, and _far_ more chi than you did when you entered that fight."

Ranma blinked and tried to look down at herself for a moment, then winced and let her head drop again.

"Don't move," The old woman snapped. "You're still healing. I can't quite tell you how long it will take, but for now, _don't move_."

Ranma groaned.

"Great…" She murmured. "Just how long am I gonna be _stuck_ here?"

"I just said _I don't know_, you little brat," The old woman snapped.

Ranma sighed. If she couldn't move, then it would probably be best to just get some sleep.

"There is something you can tell me, however."

The teen looked at the old woman best she could without turning her head.

"You have never even met Shampoo before." The woman began. "Yet you know her fighting style well enough to anticipate every punch, every kick. _Every_ _feint._"

The teen winced.

"_Who are you? Who do you work for?_ Depending on whether or not I like your answer, I may just consider you an… _obstacle._"

There it was.

Ranma sighed and closed her eyes.

"I'm… Ranma Saotome, heir to the _Musabetsu Kakutou Ryuu_," She said. "And you might want to sit down, because this is gonna be a long story."

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Chapter 4

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"We've got to _do_ something!_"_

Usagi was pacing around her room, panic written all over her face. On her bed, her time-displaced daughter, also named Usagi, sat, watching her. Luna was laying curled up on her desk, beside an unfinished report.

"Well that much is obvious, but _what?_" Chibi-Usa asked. Luna-P was slowly orbiting around her head. "I mean, they really seem to have made up their minds on this."

"Yeah, well, we've got to _change_ their minds somehow," Usagi said, turning around to pace in the other direction. "Come on, think of something! I can't abandon Juuban now, not with these new enemies popping up!"

Chibi-Usa frowned.

"These new enemies aren't limited to Juuban," she pointed out. "Ami-chan said that she detected those dimensional gates all over the world, didn't she? And these Yami people are definitely everywhere,"

Usagi turned to look at her in surprise.

"Oh my gosh! You're right!" She stopped walking and her jaw dropped. "But how are we supposed to take care of enemies all around the _world?!_"

Chibi-Usa shrugged.

"We can't." She said.

Usagi frowned.

"Well, we have to do _something_," She muttered.

"We can take care of those nearest us, but that's about it." the pink haired teen said with a shake of her head. "Short of dropping out of society and completely dedicating our lives to hunting these things, and even then we couldn't be everywhere at once."

Usagi frowned and looked at her.

"But…" She shook her head and sighed. "You're right… but still, knowing that there are monsters out there… doing terrible things to people…" She shuddered and hugged herself. "It makes my skin crawl. I can't… just ignore it, you know? When someone else suffers… I feel their pain."

Her daughter nodded.

"And that's why you're Sailor Moon."

Usagi sighed.

"As much as I _hate_ fighting… I could never just sit by and watch." She shook her head. "First thing's first, though. We need to figure out how we're staying here in Juuban."

Chibi-Usa looked up at the ceiling as she considered that.

"Hmm…"

"Hey, wait a second!" Usagi said, turning to look at her. "You hypnotize people, right?"

Chibi-Usa grimaced and lowered her eyes.

"Uhm, well, yeah, but…"

"So, that's perfect! We can just do it again!"

Chibi-Usa sighed.

"We _could_… but the more we use Luna-P on a single person, the higher the risk for permanent brain damage." She said.

Usagi frowned.

"What? _Permanent __**brain damage!?**__" _She growled and stomped over to her daughter and grabbed her by the shirt, then shook her. "You've been using such a dangerous thing on them!?"

"They're safe for now, geez!" The other girl snapped. "I'm just saying we shouldn't go doing it for every little thing!" Chibi-Usa pushed her mother off of her and growled, dusting herself off. "Jeez. Overreacting, like _always…_"

"Hey, you said _brain damage!_ I don't need my parents drooling in _bed_ all day!" Usagi retorted.

"Bah!" Chibi-Usa grabbed a nearby pillow and whapped her with it.

Usagi cringed back from her sudden attack, while reaching for a pillow of her own.

"You brat! Take _this!_"

Luna opened one eye to glance at the two, then closed it back and groaned.

"This paper is never getting done…" She grumbled as the two teens savagely attacked one another with fluffy pillows.

-x-_**Haruka**_-x-

Ten'ou Haruka sat alone on an indigo loveseat in the living room of the condo she shared with her girlfriend. She was wearing the same clothes she'd worn out that day, though her blazer was draped across the back of the sofa. Aside from the laptop on the couch beside her, the large aquarium that took up the entire western wall was the only source of light in the room, bathing the room in dim teal hues. Michiru was sound asleep in their bedroom, but she had too much on her mind to go to bed just yet.

In the wall to her right was a large window, through which she could see the lively city lights below. In the distance she could see Tokyo Tower, brightly lit up. Thanks to the increased number of high rises around it, it could no longer perform its task as primary broadcasting tower for the area – a task the Tokyo Sky Tree now fulfilled, but it still had the feel of a monument.

She sighed as she watched cars speed across the expressway below. How she would've liked to be driving down there with them, without a care in the world.

'_This Yami group is troublesome.'_ A frown creased her face as she crossed her right leg over the other and leaned back into the sofa. She grabbed the laptop, brought it over to her lap and stared down at it. On it an Internet browser was opened to the Japanese version of Google. '_What am I even supposed to look for? Something __**suspicious**__**?**__'_

She let out a snort. It was ludicrous to think that a criminal organization as ubiquitous as Yami supposedly was would be sloppy enough to leave hints that a mere seventeen year old could use to track them down. No, to get to these people, she was going to have to put her ear to the ground and listen _hard_. Thanks to the shift altering history, she no longer had any idea if she could trust any of the contacts involved with criminal elements that she'd made in the past… or any of her contacts at all, really.

_Yami_ on the other hand could already be well aware of the identities of the Senshi for all she knew.

'_Hmm. I could ask that Shirahama fellow what he knows,'_ She thought. '_Or perhaps the girl… Kushinada? She seemed fairly confident in her knowledge. She may know more than she let on…'_

She stared down at her computer and rapped her fingers against the flat space below the keyboard.

'_Okay. I may not be able to find out anything specifically about Yami, but I can do some research on criminal organizations in general. Figure out how they think, what sort of playbook they'd be using…' _

She nodded to herself and her hands moved, fingers dancing on the keys.

-x-_**Yusuke**_-x-

Yusuke lay haphazardly on his side, a trail of drool hanging out of his mouth. Aside from the animal print boxers he was wearing (he'd lost his polkadots at the hospital), a thin sheet of cotton was all that protected him from the cold morning air. A single ray of sunlight penetrated the lone window in his tiny room – and shone down directly on his face. The slight warmth was enough to wake him from his slumber, and as he blinked his eyes open, it took him a moment to adjust to being conscious. As the tail end of his dream faded out of his mind, he took a moment to remember exactly why he was in this unfamiliar room to begin with, then sighed as it all came back to him.

'_Such bullshit,'_ He thought, sitting up. Since he hadn't bothered even looking for keys to the apartment the day he left, he'd had to pick the lock to get back in. Of course, he'd have lost his keys to the hospital anyway with the way Kurama took him out, so it was probably for the better that he _hadn't_.

He glanced down at the digital clock that had woken him up the previous day; strangely it hadn't gone off this morning. It was only 7:46. Normally this would have meant he'd have lost some early morning customers for his ramen cart, but he didn't own one in this world. Before then, it'd have meant he was late for school, but that didn't really matter either.

He glanced at the briefcase he'd spotted the first morning he'd woken up there.

'_I guess that's actually mine, then…' _He frowned. The only clothes in this dump were school uniforms; he'd thrown the nasty clothing he'd stolen from the thug in the garbage. They'd stank of the thug's sweat and dirt even when he'd put them on, and now the stench clung to him and his apartment. Only the sneakers he'd kept, since they were better suited to his lifestyle than dress shoes. '_I'm gonna have to air this place out and go take a bath…'_ He thought with a sigh. At least his old apartment had had its own shower. Now he'd have to use a public bath, which was going to cost money, a resource he currently had almost none of.

He scooted over a bit towards a leather wallet lying on the floor, and emptied it. There were a few bills, but it was mostly coinage.

'_Cheap bastard.'_ He grunted and dropped the wallet, sitting back and looking it over. '_I'm gonna need some income, here… this is enough for a few days' worth of ramen and a couple of baths.' _

He frowned. Just _how_ was he going to make money? He didn't own a ramen booth, and he had no reputation as a spirit detective.

"Hmm… _Hmm…"_ He lay back and spread his arms out while staring at the ceiling. '_Underground fights might be an option… actually, that's perfect… I can work on recovering my strength while making some money. Win win. but that alone might not be enough…'_ He frowned and sat up. '_Maybe I can do some spirit detective work…' _

He nodded.

'_Yeah… perfect. First thing's first, though…'_

-x-x-x-

Yusuke walked away from a 7-Eleven with a pork bun in hand. Fresh from the public baths and wearing a school uniform that fit better than the thug's getup, he was much more comfortable than the previous day. The skies were mostly clear, but the crisp morning air was cold, and the streets of Juuban were crowded thanks to the morning rush.

'_Man, I could really use some hair grease,' _He thought in annoyance as he ran a hand through his hair. His usual style was impossible without something to make it stick, and it just sort of sat on his head like a dirty mop. '_It'll have to wait, though… first thing's first. I need to find an underground ring…' _He looked around as he took a bite out of his snack. Before him was a one way street paved in cobblestone, and the area was dominated by tall apartment buildings and small stores. '_If this were my old hood, I'd know right where to go, but __**this **__place…'_ He sighed in annoyance. '_Hmm… wonder how Keiko and the others are doing… I'll have to find out once I've got some cash. They could be anywhere.' _

The teen stuck his free hand in a pocket as he turned right and started walking.

'_Time to explore I guess.'_

He passed several stores, including a vegetable vendor, a 100 yen store, a flower store, and finally a hand bag store before reaching a crosswalk. The people waiting for the light glanced at him as he stopped beside them, eating his bun.

"Shouldn't you be in school, young man?" Asked a green haired woman in business casual with a frown.

He glanced at her and raised an eyebrow.

"Who asked you?" He snorted, turning away. "Mind your own damn business."

The woman narrowed her eyes.

"It _is_ my business, quite literally, when a young man wearing the uniform for the school for which I am disciplinarian is _out here_ instead of in class at this time of day." She said.

He frowned and looked over at her.

"I'd be wearing something less stupid, but hey, it's all I've got." He said with a shrug, before turning away.

She huffed.

"What's your name, young man?"

"Shinnosuke Abe," He snorted as the light turned green.

She narrowed her eyes.

"_Very_ funny." She said.

"_Yusuke!_"

Yusuke blinked and turned to see Kurama and Hiei walking up behind him, and raised an eyebrow in surprise. Kurama was once again using his human form illusion, though he wore modern casual clothing, while Hiei was dressed the same as always.

"There you are!" Kurama said, stopping behind him with something of a stern frown. "Thinking you can skip school on my watch? Think again!" He turned to look at the woman and bowed slightly. "I'm sorry for the trouble this boy has caused you, m'am. He's something of a troublemaker you see. I'll make sure he gets to class, though." The red haired teen then grabbed Yusuke by the arm and started dragging him away. "Come on, you."

Setsuna blinked as she watched them walk away. She noticed that the short, oddly dressed black-haired man was staring at her. The moment she looked at him, however, he turned and followed after the other two. She frowned; the two newcomers had had a strange quality to them, something she couldn't quite put her finger on.

'_Hmm… That effeminate red-haired man sounded __**very**__ familiar… Ah, well.' _She turned around to walk across the street, only to notice the light was red again. "Oh, _**damn**__ it_."

-x-x-x-

"So what's up?" Yusuke asked. Kurama and Hiei had led him down the street to another corner, away from the meddling disciplinarian, before they started walking in a more casual manner.

"Well, we've more information to share," Kurama said. "For one, Reikai doesn't even seem to exist in this world."

Yusuke stared at them.

"Reikai… doesn't exist?"

Kurama nodded.

"There seems to be something else in its place. Have you heard of Asgard?"

Hiei blinked.

"What, is that some kind of western thing?"

Kurama shrugged.

"More or less. Anyway, this Asgard performs the same function as Reikai, but in a different manner. But King Emma and Koenma are nowhere to be found. If they're there, then they play a minor part," He said. "From what I've been able to gather, there seem to be numerous _gods_ working under a single, powerful god, but not much is known about him or her. Similarly, the power structure of Makai has changed as well," He said.

Yusuke blinked.

"It wasn't completely replaced, though?"

The kitsune shook his head.

"Makai itself is the same, I believe. But, who is in charge has changed."

Yusuke frowned.

"I'm guessing this isn't good news." He said.

Kurama nodded.

"You'd be right." He sighed. "The current demon king, Demise, is a powerful being full of hatred for humans and gods alike. The youkai of this world haven't been brainwashed or anything like that, most of them are enthusiastically following this powerful demon's philosophy. He's no simple youkai either, a more apt term would be _jashin_."

Yusuke narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"Wait a minute, if Reikai doesn't exist and Emma is nowhere to be found, who sealed Makai up?"

"We're not sure, but it was probably in order to contain Demise."

Yusuke nodded. That made sense.

"Hmm. Well, for once, I have something to share with you guys too," The spirit detective said as they started to cross a road. "You know how history was changed? It didn't just happen randomly. Our world was… _merged_ together with others, or something, and the history of the current world is like a mixture of ours and theirs."

Kurama and Hiei both turned to look at him.

"Really?" Kurama asked. "Interesting. But how do you know this?"

"I met some other people who are in the same situation," He said. "And things from their worlds are here as well."

Hiei frowned.

"That Ranma girl?" He asked.

Yusuke raised an eyebrow and looked over at him.

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

The fire demon huffed.

"It's none of your business." He said.

Yusuke frowned.

"Have you been stalking me?" He asked.

"Of course." Hiei snorted. "I needed to make sure you didn't get yourself killed. Those thugs didn't stop attacking you for no reason, you know."

Yusuke blinked.

"You saved my life?"

Hiei remained silent.

"Well, thanks."

"You aren't welcome," The diminutive youkai spat. "Don't ever expect me to do anything like that again. I'll kill you _myself_ if you lose to such weaklings."

Yusuke rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Anyways," He stopped walking. "We've got more to worry about than our usual brand of trouble."

"_**Kyaaaa!**_"

All three froze, and turned to look for the sound of the voice. A young girl in a school uniform, about Yusuke's age, was running down the street, screaming her head off. No one in the nearby vicinity seemed to be paying her any attention at all.

"_Please! Somebody help me!"_

As the three wondered exactly what it was that she was screaming about, a dark shape flew past, trailing after her. It was a large… winged… _creature_ unlike _any_ that Yusuke had seen before; it had large, leathery bat-like wing-hands, and webbed-feet attached directly to its torso. Its body was gray and slimy, and a strange, skull-like mask with huge teeth covered up its face.

"What the hell is _that_ thing?" Yusuke asked. "It doesn't have any youki…"

"I don't think that's particularly important." Kurama said as he gave chase.

"Yeah," Yusuke agreed as he and Hiei followed after.

"_Waaah!_" The girl cried out again, as she glanced back at the creature. "Get back! Stay away from me you ugly _monster!_"

The creature roared and spat a black blob of goo at her. It hit her dead on and she screamed as she tumbled, head over heels, before sticking to the middle of the street. The goo held strong against her struggles to escape.

"Hey ugly!" Yusuke cried out. "Pick on someone your own size!"

The creature turned to face Yusuke and the others as he pointed a finger at it, bracing his arm with his other hand.

"_Reigan!"_

A burst of blue energy exploded forth from his extended finger and his hand flew back from the recoil. The blue energy sphere slammed into the creature's face, knocking its head back as if a sledgehammer had been thrown at it. The creature's white, skull-like face cracked and it shrieked in pain, but not much else happened.

"_Tch_…" Yusuke scowled.

"Not quite top form, hmm?" Kurama asked with a chuckle as he retrieved a rose from within his shirt.

"Ahh, shaddap," Yusuke snapped.

"Heh. _Rose Whip!"_ Kurama swung his arm and the rose transformed into a long green whip with large thorns. "_Rose Whiplash!"_

"_Wait!_"

All three of them froze at the sound of a familiar voice, and turned to see a teal haired woman wearing a black kimono and hakama standing atop an oar that was flying through the air straight towards them.

"Don't _kill_ it, you idiots!"

Yusuke and Kurama shared a glance, before turning to look at the woman in black.

"_Botan?" _Yusuke called out as she neared. "Botan!"

The woman shot him a confused look as she shot by him on her oar.

"Stay back!" She called out, unsheathing a katana.

Yusuke blinked.

"She has a sword," He said.

"We'd _noticed_." Hiei retorted.

"Yaaah!" Botan cried out as she flew by the monster, slicing through its body.

The creature shrieked out in pain as a spray of blood flew forth, coating nearby pavement and buildings in a fresh coat of red. Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei all stared as pedestrians and cars around them were all splashed… and yet did not seem to mind, and only continued to go on, minding their own business.

"What the _hell_…" Yusuke muttered. "They can't see it?"

"It would appear so," Kurama said. "That isn't too unusual for certain supernatural phenomena, you should know that."

Yusuke shook his head.

"I know, but… you'd think they'd _feel_ being covered in ick on _some _level…" He muttered. They turned to look at the creature, which was disintegrating. "Hey… that's…"

"A human spirit," Kurama said with a frown. "So that was a poltergeist of some sort, then?"

Botan slowed to a stop above the squirming girl in the street, and hopped off of her oar as the three males approached.

"I have a feeling that this Botan doesn't know us." Kurama muttered as they neared.

Yusuke frowned.

"She's definitely _different_, that's for sure…" He mumbled as the ponytailed girl knelt down to inspect the girl on the ground, who was looking up at her. As they neared, Yusuke and the others noticed a metal chain sprouting from the center of the girl's chest.

"Y-you killed that thing in one hit!" The girl cried out, awestruck, as she looked up at her savior.

"Yeah, well, I was moving pretty fast," Botan said. "Anyway, are you ready to move on?"

The girl stared at her in confusion.

"Huh? Move on? What are you talking about?"

"To the afterlife." The pony-tailed woman explained. She held up her katana.

The girl screamed.

"_Nooo!_ Please don't kill me! I'm too young to die! I haven't _done _anything to you!"

Botan sighed.

"You're _already_ dead." She said ominously. The girl screamed louder and cringed away and she sighed. "I swear, some people…"

"Ahem."

Both the screaming girl and Botan turned to face Kurama.

"What do you want?" Botan asked. "I'm busy here."

"Um… would I be correct in assuming that you're a shinigami?" He asked.

She rolled her eyes.

"Well gee, what clued you in, genius? Was it the clothing or the way I just _purified_ that Hollow?"

The girl on the ground blinked up at her in confusion.

"You…you're a shinigami?" She asked.

"Yeah, that's right," Botan said, turning to look down at her in annoyance. "And you're a wandering spirit. It's my job to send you to the afterlife before you become consumed with regret and turn into one of those monsters that just tried to eat you. So hold still, m'kay?"

The girl frowned.

"You're not making any sense! Just what's going on?!"

"Uh-huh, that's nice," Botan said, pressing the bottom of her blade's hilt to the girl's head.

"Wait a min-"

The girl was interrupted as her body abruptly flared up with light. She transformed into a small glowing sphere and they all craned their heads up to watch as it flew up into the sky and disappeared.

"Well, that was rude." Kurama said with a frown.

"Ehhh, who gives a shit," Botan snorted. "I'm not much for explaining the whole death crap. Let someone else handle it."

"Isn't that your _job?_" Yusuke asked with a frown.

"Shut up, kid." She snapped. "Because of the mess caused by those idiot Winchester brothers, we've been absolutely _swamped_. I _just_ managed to get transferred back to Japan, and I am _not_ gonna have some punk kid telling me how to do my job."

Hiei snorted.

"I like this one more." He said. "She's less pratty."

Botan looked the three of them over with a frown.

"And just what is a kitsune, a… what are you, some kind of hybrid? Ah, who cares. Two youkai and a spiritually endowed human brat hanging out together?" She frowned. "If you cause trouble, you're not gonna like the consequences."

Hiei smirked.

"What, you'll fight us?"

She snorted.

"You two I can kill. The boy I'll have to frame for murder or something."

Hiei chuckled.

"I'd like to see you try."

She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Now, now," Kurama said, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. "We're not here to cause trouble, miss. We're just… a little _lost_, is all."

She raised an eyebrow.

"_Lost?_"

"Yes," The redhead said. "Could you help us out?"

She snorted.

"I'm not some kind of directory or whatever. There's a train station right up that way, go get a map."

"Ah, that's not what I meant," Kurama said. "We're wondering if you could tell us more about the creature you… what was it you said, _purified?"_

She frowned.

"The hollow? Why… what, you've never _seen_ one before?"

Kurama and Yusuke shook their heads.

"We've seen similar beings, but they were all youkai," The redhead said. "That thing was… more like a cursed human soul, am I right?"

She sighed.

"Just what are they teaching in demon school these days?"

"Murder and banditry." Hiei said flatly.

"Oh, _right."_ The teal-haired girl sighed. "Whatever. You wanna know about hollows? Fine. Buy me lunch and I'll tell you whatever you wanna know."

Yusuke raised an eyebrow.

"Really?"

She sheathed her weapon.

"Yeah, sure. It's part of the job."

The retired spirit detective rolled his eyes, while Kurama chuckled.

"Us buying you lunch is part of the job?"

"Damn straight," she said, crossing her arms.

Yusuke pulled his pockets out, showing off only lint and fuzz.

"I'm broke," He said. "Either of you got spare change? Maybe we can buy her a gumball or something."

Hiei only snorted, and Kurama sighed.

"I suppose I can cover this." He said.

-x-x-x-

"So let me get this straight," Yusuke asked. They were sitting at a table in a nearby McDonalds. "Human spirits that remain on Earth for too long… lose their hearts and turn into those things, which then devour other spirits."

Botan nodded, taking a bite of an over-stuffed burger. She'd merged her spirit with some kind of eerie human-like shell that looked like her but was wearing a high school uniform. She swallowed the burger and wiped some sauce off of her mouth onto her sleeve.

"Give the kid a gold star," she chimed, before taking another massive bite. "Mm, _mm_. Thish ish so damb good. Why don't we habe one of deeshe plashes in Sheireitei…?"

Kurama watched her sloppy eating methods with a mixture of amusement and disgust.

"And only a Zanpakuto – a weapon given to Shinigami such as yourself – can purify them and send them to the afterlife." The kitsune prodded. "Normal attacks, from reiki, youki, or some other magical means, actually destroy the soul, which causes, and I quote, '_some sort of imbalance_'…"

"And looksh bad on my record if it habbens in my territory," She said. "Sho don't do it." She swallowed the food in her mouth and moaned in pleasure before taking another bite. "I neeb do comb herr more obten!"

Yusuke raised an eyebrow.

"And just what are we supposed to do if you aren't around and it's eating some spirit?"

"Jubt leb me handle ib," She said before swallowing. "When I purify a hollow, I purify all the souls it's eaten as well. All's well that ends well, right?"

Yusuke scowled as she continued eating.

"How can you say that?" He demanded. "You're totally fine with some souls rotting in a monster's belly 'cuz you're too _slow_ to save them?"

She glared at him.

"Shut the hell up punk," She snapped. "You think I'm lazy or something? I rarely get breaks like this these days. Between your idiot youkai friends attacking and gobbling down whatever humans they please and bonafide _demons_, I've been putting in _overtime_." She finished the burger in one more bite, which she swallowed immediately, and licked her fingers before picking up a second, larger burger.

Just then, a j-pop song started playing, the source being a vibrating object somewhere in her shirt. She groaned in annoyance before reaching into it to pull out a cell phone and looked down at the screen.

"Great, _more_ work," She growled, putting the phone away. She stood up and started eating the burger as she ran out of the restaurant, grabbing her oar, which was leaning against the wall beside the entrance. "Stay out of trouble!" She called back, before disappearing out the doors.

They watched her go, then returned their gazes to one another.

"Must be another one," Yusuke said with a frown. "Well, great. Something else to worry about." He sighed and rose from his seat. "Well, I need to figure out how to make money around here. You guys seen any good street fights around here?"

"I'm afraid I didn't look for anything like that. Hiei might know," Kurama said. "I have met a few individuals looking for strong arms, though."

Yusuke snorted.

"Anything that involves taking out rogue youkai?"

Kurama nodded.

"There are some individuals willing to pay for that sort of work," He said. "I've heard that the local police station has freelance work for demon hunters. Things their mundane officers can't handle."

Yusuke raised an eyebrow.

"Sounds good." He commented. "I'll look into it. Anyone specific to ask for?"

"An Inspector Kiyohara."

"Alright. Anything you wanna add, Hiei?"

Hiei snorted.

"What I found, you're not ready for at the moment. Go take out some weaklings and toughen up first," He said, grabbing a soda on the table and slurping from it noisily.

Yusuke rolled his eyes.

"Fine, whatever." As he turned to leave, Kurama held up a hand.

"Ah, wait, Yusuke," He said. "There was something you were going to say earlier, right? Something about how we're in some kind of… mixed universe?"

Yusuke blinked.

"Oh yeah!"

He quickly sat back down.

"Right, okay, so. Have you heard of those Sailor girls?"

Kurama nodded.

"They're supposed to be the most effective demon hunters in the country. A team of at least eight, though some say nine, maybe more. One for each planet save Earth, which is substituted by a Senshi for Earth's moon for some reason. No one has seen the Senshi for Saturn, however."

"Yeah them," Yusuke said. "Anyway, you heard about that kaiju attack from yesterday? I saw them take it out, with the help of some other chick," He said.

"The aforementioned _Ranma_?" Kurama asked.

Yusuke nodded quickly.

"Yeah yeah. And anyway, she, those girls, and some other guys, are all from worlds where there isn't even a _Makai_," He said.

They both stared at him.

"No_ Makai?"_ Kurama asked. "That's… interesting…" He murmured. He folded his hands together and put his elbows on the table. "So where do Youkai reside in their worlds?"

"I donno," Yusuke shrugged. "One of 'em even said there _weren't _anyyoukai in his world."

Hiei frowned.

"A world with no youkai? Unbelievable."

Yusuke shrugged.

"Hey, I don't doubt him," He said. "The kid seemed serious enough. Anyway, it seems they all had enemies of their own or something, and some of them also exist in this world," He said. "Like, this _Yami _group, supposedly a secret society of master martial artists who do all kinds of shady stuff, like assassinations and what have you."

Kurama narrowed his eyes.

"I've heard whispers of such an organization…"

"Sounds interesting." Hiei said.

Yusuke shrugged.

"I haven't run into any of 'em yet, so… can't really say what they're capable of, but that guy seemed to think it was a big deal."

Hiei snorted.

"If they're just a bunch of humans, then we've nothing to worry about."

Yusuke rolled his eyes.

"Sensui was human too, you know. And did you forget that so was _I_ until that stupid… _atavism_ thing?"

Hiei considered that.

"Sensui was one of a kind. But I do see your point."

Yusuke nodded.

"Regardless, it is no concern of ours," The stature-challenged demon said. "The only thing I'm worried about is the new king of Makai. We may need to kill him, if he's intent on causing us trouble."

Yusuke frowned.

"_May?_" He rolled his eyes. "Of course we're going to kill him. Anyways, I said I'd help them if they helped us."

Kurama nodded.

"That sounds fair enough. Perhaps you can put us in contact with them?" He asked. "I would like to learn more about these new players… on both sides."

Hiei scoffed.

"Don't expect anything from me. I couldn't care less about their help."

"I figured," Yusuke said. "Anyway, I uh, well they gave me some phone numbers, but I don't have em on me… stop by my place later and I'll give em to you. One last thing, before I forget. Have you guys… found out anything about the others? Like say… How's Kuwabara doing? Any chance we can get his help on this?"

Hiei snorted, while Kurama chuckled.

"What would we need that monkey around for?" The black-and-white haired demon demanded. "His brand of stupid would render us _less_ effective."

Yusuke stared at them.

"So did you find him?"

Kurama nodded.

"We did," He said. "He's not in Tokyo at the moment, though, so he won't be of much use to us right away. We haven't even made contact, so we're not quite sure if he's unchanged or not, yet."

"Where is he?" The teen asked.

"An academy near Saitama," Kurama said. "Called Mahora Gakuen."

Yusuke blinked.

"An academy? Like… private? Paid tuition?"

Kurama nodded, and Yusuke blinked. He wasn't sure if he wanted to scowl or laugh.

"So that joker's in some prissy upstate school while I'm stuck in that closet with a window?"

Kurama chuckled again.

"I didn't think you'd like that." He said.

Yusuke shook his head.

"Whatever." He said. "What about… Keiko?"

Kurama sighed and shook his head.

"Nothing so far," He said. "If she… even exists in this world, she doesn't live in or have family near Tokyo."

Yusuke frowned.

"…Alright then," He said. "Well, the sooner we straighten out this mess, the sooner we get things back to normal anyway."

Both Hiei and Kurama watched as he stood up and started walking away.

"Later," He called back.

"Yes, later." Kurama said with a nod.

-x-x-x-

Yusuke walked along the sidewalk, glancing up from the map in his hands to the sides of the buildings he passed. The train station had been where Botan'd said, and he now had a map of the district (and the entire ward), and a small pencil. On the map several landmarks had already been marked in pencil.

The traffic – both on sidewalks and in the streets - had thinned out a little now that most people were actually _at_ school or work, but he still had to look up a few times to avoid other oncoming pedestrians.

"Let's see… I'm _on_ Roppongi Street…" He looked down at the map, then frowned, scratching his head. "It should be around here somewhere, shouldn't it?" He grumbled, stopping. He turned to look at the building beside him and blinked.

The Azabu Police Station sat before him. An image of Pipo-kun, the mascot for the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, could be seen right on the front of the building.

"Oh." He folded the map and shoved it and the pencil into his pocket, then looked around for the appropriate entrance, and walked over and opened the door, stepping inside.

He looked around for a moment; he was in what looked like the lobby for a typical office. Several people situated at the front desk looked up at him, all of them in uniform. Yusuke chuckled nervously as they all stared at him, and he suddenly realized that he'd stepped into a police station during school hours in a _school uniform_ of his own volition.

"Uhh," He began. "Is there an Inspector Kiyohara here?" He asked.

"Inspector?" The man at the desk nearest him began. "The only Kiyohara here is-"

"Ahah, sorry, I'll take it from here, thank you, Urabe-kun."

They both turned to see a pink haired woman in uniform standing up behind the main desk and walking around it towards Yusuke with a nervous laugh. Yusuke blinked as she pushed him out the door and followed him out. He looked up at her and blinked again.

"My apologies. I'm not actually an Inspector. It's just a code word." She looked him up and down with a frown. "Demon hunter or no, you should be in school right now." The woman said with a frown.

He groaned.

"Look, I'm past the graduating age, alright? I got no obligation."

"I see." She scrutinized him closely, putting a hand on her hips. "So, you've fought youkai before?"

He shrugged.

"Yeah sure. Look, I just need work lady. If I can bust some heads in the process, all the better."

She shrugged, then retrieved a small card from her pocket and handed it to him.

"Here," She said. "My name is Kiyohara Hikari."

He accepted it and blinked. It was a business card.

"Oh, uh," He bowed slightly and scratched his head nervously. "Urameshi Yusuke. I uh, don't exactly have one of my own… eheheh."

She bowed back.

"Nice to meet you, Urameshi-san. And it's quite alright, I work with your sort often. Don't worry about the formalities." She turned and started walking for an alleyway beside the building. "Come right this way please."

Yusuke watched her go, and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Whew." He glanced down at the card, then shrugged and followed her into the alleyway. As he shoved the card into his pocket, she said,

"Only people with high proficiency in Reiki, Chi, or Mana manipulation can read the print on that card." She said. "You're a Reiki user, correct?"

He nodded.

"That's right," He said. "And so are you."

The very next instant, she turned around, her fist flying at his face with incredible speed.

Yusuke stopped walking.

"Hm. Nice punch." He said.

She'd stopped millimeters short of his face.

"Did I pass your test?"

She smiled pleasantly.

"You could tell that I wasn't really going to hit you?"

He snorted.

"I did something like that once," He said. "But the results were a little different."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

"Yeah," He said with a chuckle. "Anyways, is that it?"

She shook her head.

"There is one more thing." She said. "I need to know how well _you_ can throw a punch."

He nodded, then looked around the alleyway, expecting to see a target or punching bag hidden away somewhere.

"Okay. So what do I hit?"

"Me." She said.

He frowned.

"What?"

She only stared at him mutely, waiting.

"Uh… okay… well, here goes."

Yusuke closed his eyes and focused on his Reiki.

'_Hmm…' _He frowned. '_It's a little bit more than yesterday… but still a long ways to go._'

His eyes flashed open and he moved in a blur. She caught his fist well before it was anywhere near her face.

"Impressive."

He pouted.

"It don't _look_ that way when you make me look like a _snail_." He complained. '_You know, there's something awfully familiar about these tests…' _He scrunched up his brow as he tried to remember exactly what they reminded him of, and then it hit him; they were reminiscent of Genkai's disciple tournament. "Say… do you know anyone named Genkai?"

She blinked.

"Master Genkai?" She raised an eyebrow. "You know her?"

He chuckled.

"She's your master?"

The woman nodded.

"She was."

The mirth slowly drained from his face.

"Ah, yeah?" He nodded. No matter how the timeline changed, Genkai's time was up. "That's cool. She was a pretty classy gal. Tough as nails, too."

She nodded, but then tilted her head.

"How did you know her?" The woman asked, frowning. "I wasn't aware she had any other students."

"Err… I met her while hunting down some youkai when I first started out."

She nodded slowly, seeming to accept his answer.

'_Hey, wait a second… if this lady was her disciple, then that means… she underwent that Spirit Wave Orb training?' _Yusuke found himself re-appraising the woman, and wondering how she'd fare in a real fight.

"Alright, well," She said. "You passed the third test. Just out of curiosity, how did you hear about me?"

"Huh? Uh, well…" He trailed off. "…A friend told me about you."

"What was this friend's name?"

"Shuuichi Minamono." He said. "Why?"

She frowned.

"I don't know anyone by that name." She said.

He blinked.

"Well, he sure knows about you."

"I don't exactly go out of my way to make what I do public information." She said. "I find that gets you more enemies than allies." She sighed. "Well. He sent you here for work, so I'm assuming he has no ill will towards me. Still, I'll have to investigate this."

He shrugged.

"Knock yourself out." He folded his arms behind his head. "So what's the deal? You think there's a youkai behind some kinda crime?"

She nodded.

"People have been disappearing all over Tokyo," She said. "The rate of missing persons reports has tripled since the start of the year."

He frowned.

"Well, that's definitely not normal, but that's not all, is it?"

She shook her head.

"The youkai population in this city has also exploded," She said. "The gate to Makai is weakening, which allows more of their kind to escape through it."

He frowned.

"So? That sounds more like a general increase in youkai attacks," He said. "Not one case."

She shook her head.

"That is also a factor, but it alone doesn't completely account for this kind of increase. I've found something rather disturbing that does, however." She said.

He turned his head slightly, but kept his eyes on her.

"I'm not gonna like this next part, am I?"

She shook her head.

"A number of Youkai have taken control of several meat-packing plants."

He closed his eyes.

"Completely taken over." He clarified. "Not just one or two of them infiltrating the ranks, but _everyone_ is a youkai."

She nodded.

"The plant, or rather, _chain_ of plants, were bought up by a corporation that I and some associates have suspected is controlled by Youkai for some time. Most of the previous employees of each plant were replaced over the course of a week." She said. "After disappearing themselves."

He growled.

"And no one thought it was suspicious?"

She shook her head.

"They have hands in the government. Investigations have actually _distanced_ the owners of the plants from the disappearances."

He clenched his fists.

"So these monsters are kidnapping people en masse," He began, "And you think they're serving up _human_ at some fancy youkai _restaurant?_"

She nodded.

"That's one way to put it. With the sudden rise in youkai population, there would be an increased demand for human flesh. As for how… they could be distributing it via disguised street vendors for all we know."

Yusuke shuddered. The very idea seemed… _violating. _

_Come one, come all! Fresh human! Get it while it's raw!_

He growled.

"So when do we take them out?"

"Tomorrow night." She said. "You'll be working with myself and two others on this particular job. If you have any friends that you know are qualified for this sort of work, then feel free to bring them along, just know that you're going to have to split the reward."

He nodded.

"I'll keep that in mind. You trust my judgment, then?"

She nodded.

"If they die, it's on you."

He chuckled.

"I wouldn't worry about that."

"Very well. That is all," She said, before walking away.

"Eh? That it?"

She glanced back at him and nodded.

"Be at this exact spot tomorrow, midnight. We'll begin the operation then."

He frowned.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute. I need to know this is worth my _time,_" He snapped. "Just how much are you paying for this anyway?"

She blinked.

"Five thousand yen."

Yusuke face planted.

"Five!"

He growled and jumped back up to his feet.

"You cheap bitch! Try fifty!"

Her eyebrow twitched.

"…Ten thousand yen. No more than that."

"Just what kind of idiot do you take me for?" He growled.

She raised an eyebrow.

"You would do this, even if I didn't pay you." She said. "The anger you showed me just now was real. Why should I bother when it's unnecessary?"

His jaw dropped.

"You're taking _advantage_ of me?!"

She nodded.

"I am." She said, turning around. "Don't forget. Tomorrow at midnight, this alleyway. If you're late I'll dock your pay."

He growled and clenched a fist.

"You bitch…" He growled.

"A word of advice," She said, glancing at him with a smile. "Don't wear your emotions so openly when negotiating your salary."

He watched her walk away with narrowed eyes.

"_Tch._"

-x-_**Ranma**_-x-

Ranma opened her eyes with a yawn as she stretched her arms overhead. Light from the bright sun filtered through the branches of the tree overhead, which swayed in the gentle morning breeze. There was a thin blanket covering her up, but it was somehow much warmer and more comfortable than its size would have seemed to suggest.

"Oh, finally awake are you?"

Cologne's voice caught her attention rather quickly, and she interrupted her stretching to look up at the woman, who was still sitting beside her.

"Looks like it," Ranma yawned, blinking her eyes open. She reached up and rubbed at them for a bit, before sitting up. She winced a bit and grit her teeth.

"Careful, you're still recovering from yesterday." The woman said. "The worst of it seems to be miraculously over, though."

The pigtailed teen blinked and looked down at her.

"Say what?"

The old woman shrugged.

"You're healing at a rate I wouldn't have thought possible." she said. "Even for a martial artist of your caliber. I can only assume it's the effect of Jusenkyo's magic. Otherwise you'd be bedridden for at least a month, maybe two, while your muscles and chi pathways heal, if not crippled for life, or simply dead."

That last bit quickly sobered the sleepy teen, who continued stretching, but slowly, and carefully avoiding any movements that caused pain.

"That was quite the tale last night." Cologne continued. "To think that history itself could have been rewritten…" She murmured, retrieving her pipe from some unseen space.

"So you believe me?" Ranma asked. She'd been careful to avoid mentioning that she was technically Shampoo's husband in her summary of the past year and a half or so, instead saying that they'd been 'rivals who always managed to tie one another', but that particular detail did not seem to be at the forefront of the elder's concerns.

"I didn't say that. Though… I must admit, for the past few days, it has felt as if something were well and truly… _wrong_, with the world." The old woman sighed as she lit the pipe with her chi as she had the previous day. "There's no way to know for sure. You could be under the effects of some spell, or simply be lying."

"Then how do you explain my Jusenkyo curse?" Ranma demanded.

The old woman hmm'd for a bit as she considered it.

"I can't," She said. "But there's no reason to believe that your story is the only possible way a Jusenkyo curse could have ended up the way yours has."

Ranma sighed.

"Well, will you at least let me go, then?" She asked.

"Hmm, yes." The old woman nodded. "You should be fine for now."

Ranma nodded and stood up gingerly, wincing as she did so.

"Then I should get home," she said. "At least, the place where I'm living now… Man, I bet they're gonna go nuts. Though, I'm not sure _where_…"

"Hmm." The old woman tossed Ranma's cellphone and wallet at her, and she caught it, surprised. "I already took out payment for my services."

Ranma blinked.

"Services?"

The woman snorted.

"_Acupuncture? Reconstructing your chi meridians?_ What exactly did you think I was _doing_ all day and night yesterday, child?"

"Getting high off of incense," Ranma muttered.

She got a weak tap on her leg from the woman's cane for her troubles, but the pain was enough to buckle her knees.

"_Ow!_"

"I'll accompany you," The old woman said. "I can explain to your… _servants_ that I found you wandering about late last night and let you stay at my place."

Ranma blinked. It was very awkward hearing them referred to as _her_ servants… but, they were.

"Alright, well… that's better than nothing… still, I'm not exactly sure how to get home from here. I kind of forgot how I got here…" She mumbled. "Hmm… we're close to the school, though, so maybe I can just call them to come get me…" She looked down at her cellphone. "Let's see… that Mitsukoshi guy's number is right here…"

She found it quickly and dialed the number. She didn't have to wait more than four seconds for the owner of the phone to pick up.

"_Young Miss!?_"

She winced and held the phone away from her ear.

"_Young Miss! Is that you? Are you alright? Where are you!?_"

She steeled herself as the man blabbered on, and cleared her throat, then brought it back to her mouth.

"Oh, _Mikkon!_ It was terrible! This giant monster appeared out of nowhere! It was so big and scary and disgusting and I just got so _scared!_" She gushed. "I just _ran and ran and ran_ as fast as I could, and before I knew it I was totally lost! If it hadn't been for this nice old lady who let me sleep in her house, I woulda had to sleep on a bench somewhere!"

There was silence on the other end, and she continued.

"I woulda called but… I left my phone at the park and normally I just use speed dial, so… I… I had no idea what numbers to dial…" She sniffled, "But this morning she helped me retrace my steps back to where I was before the monster attacked, and my phone and wallet were still there!"

"_I… I see,_" The man said finally. She could tell that he was starting to calm down. "_So, you're safe now? You're alright?_"

"I'm fine now," she said. "I heard those sailor girls killed the monster, so I figured it was safe here… and it _is_ gone…"

"_Yes, it was all over the news. Still is, actually._" The man said, sighing. "_But to think you were even __**near**__ that thing… I have well and truly failed in my duties…_" He trailed off and there was a short pause before he said anything. "_Well, where are you? I'll come get you right now._"

"Uh, I'm… at a park near the school… Granny Cologne is here with me…"

"_The old woman who helped you?_"

"Yes," She said, glancing down at the wizened old crone, who was staring up at her with something bordering on amusement.

"_Okay… I think I know what park you mean. Stay there! I'll be there right away!" _He said.

He hung up, and she blinked, then sighed.

"Well, that went a lot better than I thought it would." she said.

Cologne gave her a mischievous smirk.

"For one who claims to be a man, you fall easily into the role of a lost little girl."

Ranma grit her teeth.

"Hey, I've had practice…" she grumbled.

-x-_**Usagi**_-x-

Chibi-Usa yawned and stretched her arms over her head as her teacher left the class room. After that she leaned back in her chair and tapped her fingers on the desk, every pore of her being emanating boredom. She blinked and looked up when Haruka turned around to look back at her. Though she was neatly groomed, clean, and had a soft hint of perfume, the blonde had bags under her eyes, and a listless look on her face.

"Wow, you look like crap."

"I was up all night." The blonde said with a frown. "Still no sign of Ranma. Did you hear anything about her being out?"

Usagi shook her head.

"No," She said. "Why, you worried?"

Haruka sighed.

"A little, yes. She mentioned she had some problems, but that they hadn't shown up. _Yet._"

The pink haired teen set her elbows on her desk and leaned forward. The desk in front of her was conspicuously empty.

"Well, we've got a problem of our own," She said. "My grandparents want to send me and Odango to some private academy near Saitama."

Haruka's frown worsened, and she reached up to rub her head.

"One after _another_…" She grumbled. "And there's no way you could… _change_ their minds?"

Chibi-Usa shook her head.

"I _could_… but there's a chance they could sustain permanent brain damage." She explained.

"Well, this is a pretty big thing," Haruka said with a frown. She looked around, then leaned closer to the other teen. "From what I've seen, the inners work as a unit with her as the central focus. Without her, they won't be able to take out the more powerful enemies. Like _yesterday_. Even Michiru and I couldn't do any real appreciable damage to that thing. It took _both_ of you to destroy it." She said. "And what's worse, two of them are healing from broken bones - one of whom is currently _unable to walk._"

"I know," Chibi-Usa said with a frown. "But I can't see a way around it. Their minds are set."

Haruka sighed.

"Well, we've got to do something about it."

"Yeah, but _what?_" Usagi asked, sitting back.

Haruka shook her head.

"I don't know, just make sure you do _something._" She said. "We can't afford to lose you two right now."

She turned back around as the next teacher entered the room, and Chibi-Usa leaned back in her own chair.

-x-_**Ryouga**_-x-

Ryouga watched as people walked along the crowded streets from a bench on the side of the road. Next to him was Cologne's ramen stall, which Mousse and Shampoo were operating. All night and morning, he'd been beating Ranma's story around in his head, and honestly, most of it made sense. The reason why Nerima was so different – let alone _literally every other place_ _he went_ – was because history had been changed, and the present day reflected those changes. Or rather, according to Ranma's story, it'd been merged with those of others. And if Ranma could go from being a martial artist to an heiress, just how much of his _own_ life was the same?

Hell, the fact that he was _married_ _to Shampoo_ (at least, by her people's backwards laws) went a great deal towards telling him how _different_ things were for him. Were his parents even alive? Did he actually have bona-fide siblings now? What about Shirokuro?

And if the dojo was gone, where _were_ the Tendos? And Akari, for that matter?

He sighed and sank down into the bench. Thanks to his sense of direction, it was a _hopeless_ endeavor for him to try and find these things out on his own. He was going to have to somehow get Ranma to help him out, and afterwards, they were going to have to figure out how the hell it could be _fixed. _And on that, he had no idea where to even _begin_. Perhaps the first order of business was finding out if his house was in the same place.

Suddenly, he heard the screeching of tires and looked up to see a large truck swerving out of the street. The truck slowed down, but not enough to keep it from slamming into the fire hydrant on the corner.

Instantly he was on his feet, umbrella in hand and fanned out in front of him. He knelt down just as the hydrant's blast of water hit his umbrella, and started moving away, out of the water's path. When he was sure he was clear of it, he peeked over his umbrella to check, then lowered it.

'_That was close,'_ He thought, frowning. He watched as the truck driver started yelling at some frail old lady that had stepped out into the street into his path, but the old woman continued walking, entirely heedless of his yelling and the accident she'd caused. People began to gather around, their attention caught by the spectacle. If he had been hit by water, they'd all have noticed. Well, maybe except for the old lady.

And with the way his curse had been acting up for the past few days, that was to be avoided at all costs.

-x-_**Ranma**_-x-

Mitsukoshi was kneeling down on his knees and bowing his head to the grass before Cologne. They were still in the park; the man had parked the limousine on the side of the road and ran out as soon as he'd spotted them. After his initial reaction of a powerful bear hug for the _young miss_, he'd begun lavishing his thanks on Cologne.

"You have done us a great service, elder." The man said. "The Fujibayashi family owes you its deepest gratitude. There is no way we could ever hope to repay you."

"Oh, I'm sure I'll think of something!" The old woman said with a jovial cackle. "Stand, stand! You honor a simple old woman far too much!"

The butler/chauffer did as he was told, but once he was on his feet he couldn't help bowing to her once again.

"I thank you from the bottom of my heart, sincerely."

"Well, you are quite welcome then, young man." She said. "She was quite the treat, though. She had some interesting stories to share!"

"Is that right?" The man asked, as he finally allowed himself to stand. He was smiling earnestly. "I'm glad." He turned to face Ranma. "Young miss, are you ready to go home?" He asked, turning to face Ranma. "I'm sure you'd like to get cleaned up, after yesterday's ordeal…"

"Er, yes." Ranma said with a nod.

"Well then," Cologne said, "I'll be around if you need me again, young lady."

Ranma nodded and smiled.

"I'll be sure to visit, old g- _granny!_" She said with a winning smile.

And with that, the man led her back to the waiting limousine. He opened the door for her and she climbed in, suddenly aware that she didn't smell as pleasantly as the car itself. Maybe it _was_ a good idea to get cleaned up.

"So," the man began as he climbed into the driver's seat. "Have you talked to your parents yet?"

Ranma blinked.

"Uh… my parents?"

"Yes, your parents!" He said in a chiding voice. "Do you have any _idea_ how worried everyone was about you?!"

She winced.

"Uh… I'm sorry?" she murmured. "I… I um…"

The man sighed. He pressed a button on the dash and the car's engine came to life, barely audible.

"What's important is that you're fine," He said. "I already let them know that you were alright, but I'm sure they'd like to hear from you directly."

She held up her phone and looked at it.

"Um, alright."

"Young Mistress, if _ever _something like this happens again, I want you to get in contact with the police," He said. "We'd put out a missing person's report for you last night, and they would have been able to help you get home much sooner."

"Err… yeah… I'm sorry, I was just… out of my mind…" She murmured. When he failed to respond, she started going through the numbers in her phone's directory. Mikkon was the first, with some names she was unfamiliar with after. The katakana for _Papa _and _Mama_ were ninth and tenth on the list. '_Huh, you'd think they'd be first,'_ She thought. '_I've got no idea how to talk to these people, though. Am I supposed to act like normal, or are they more traditional?' _

She glanced up at Mitsukoshi.

"Hey… _Mikkon_," she began tentatively.

He glanced at her in the rearview mirror.

"Yes, young miss?"

"Remember that… _story_ I told everyone, about being a martial artist or something?" She asked.

He chuckled.

"Who could forget? It was very well crafted," He said. "You were a superb actor, I might add."

"Uh, right. Let's say… I was that person I told you about," she said. "And he needed to know how I normally address my mother. What would you tell him?"

He gave her a confused look in the mirror.

"You address your parents with utmost respect." He said. "What are you worried about? Call them."

She looked down at her phone again and nodded, before pressing the number for Teriha's mother and held it up to her ear.

The phone rang for a minute, before finally it was picked up, and she immediately heard a woman's voice.

"_Terihan? Is that you?_"

Ranma cleared her throat.

"A-ah, er… Hello… mother…"

The other end went silent. Ranma dared not speak another word as she gauged the woman's reaction.

"_Mother? What happened to mama?" _The woman murmured.

Ranma sent a glare at the driver, who was busy watching the road.

"_Terihan, are you alright!? Please tell me you're alright!_"

"I'm _fine…_ mama." Ranma said with a sigh as she prepared to have this conversation yet again.

-x-

Ranma sighed in relief as she stood up out of the limo. Her parents' phone calls were done, and she'd learned a little about each of them. Falling into the role of Teriha was becoming a bit easier, now that she knew how people expected her to act, but it was still tiresome.

"Kajiwara-san has readied your bath," Mitsukoshi called to her from the driver seat. "Don't worry about school; we'd already called in that you won't be showing up today, but don't think you're getting out of it tomorrow!"

Ranma pulled on her eyelid and stuck her tongue out at him as he drove away. When he was gone, she turned to face the manor. The day was free from the clutches of school, but there was still much learning to be done. Just who _was_ Fujibayashi Teriha? Did she have enemies of her own lurking in the shadows?

And where the hell were Saotomes Genma and Nodoka in this world? Or _any _of the _Tendos_ for that matter?

She started walking towards the manor with a heavy sigh. Her usual methods wouldn't be of any help, and she had no idea where to start, but she was determined, and for Saotome Ranma, that was all it took.

-x-_**Kenichi**_-x-

Kenichi sighed as he opened his bento. He was really starting to miss Miu's homemade lunches. It was always a real treat to eat something prepared by her skilled and wondrous hands. He could taste the love and dedication she made each one with, and the dishes she could make despite the dojo's limited budget were always amazing. His mother's weren't _bad, _and she made hers with love as well, but… it was just… so very different. Kenichi looked up when the door to his classroom opened, and saw none other than Nanjo Kisara standing there.

"…not going to lose to someone who lives in _Saitama_," The girl finished muttering as she entered the class. She reached up and adjusted her glasses before noticing Kenichi staring right at her, then blushed. "Oh! Ken-kun!" She called out, before walking over to his side. In her hands looked to be a small postcard of some sort.

"A-ah, er… hello Kisara-san." He said with a friendly smile.

"Um, hi." She said, her face turning red. "I was wondering if, you, er… that is, _we_…"She blushed a deeper shade of red, then shook her head. "_Ahem!_ I was wondering if you'd like to go to this concert to see Zwei Wing! With me! On Thursday!"

Kenichi blinked as she squinted her eyes shut and proffered the postcard to him with both hands while lowering her head. Her face remained cherry-red, and he noticed she was trembling a bit.

'_Uh_ _oh_…' He smiled nervously. "Um, err… well…" He scratched his head. "Thursday, you say? I was planning to do something else then…" He said. '_I'm sorry Kisara-san, but training takes priority over everything. And I still have to find out where everyone else is,'_

Her eyes and mouth opened, first an expression of surprise, then horror, and finally disappointment.

"O-oh… I-is that so?" She asked. "Aha, ahaha… I see…" She wilted, settling into a devastated posture.

Kenichi winced.

"Er… but… I _might_ be able to make time…" He said. '_Damn me and my compassion!'_

She looked up at him, hope shining in her eyes.

"Really?!"

"Er, maybe-"

Her entire body lit up at that and she smiled.

"Okay then! Well, I'll just leave this with you, and you can let me know later!" She said, leaving the postcard on his desk. "Bye now!"

And with that she turned and ran out of the classroom at top speed.

Kenichi blinked, then looked down at the postcard with a sigh.

'_Huh?'_ He looked down at it and realized that it was actually a _ticket_ with a picture of the singers on it. '_Ugh… what have I gotten myself into?' _As he took a closer look, he noticed that there were three girls; one with aquamarine hair wearing a similarly colored dress and holding a violin, while the other two had red and blue hair, and wore similar dresses that complimented their hair colors, each one with a mirrored decorative wing on the skirt. '_Eh? "Special concert… Violinist Kaiou Michiru joins Kazanari Tsubasa and Amou Kanade on stage?"' _He frowned. He could have sworn that teal haired girl looked familiar…

'_Wait a second… isn't she one of those girls from yesterday?'_ He thought with a frown while scratching his head. '_Huh. She's famous?' _He sighed and sank into his chair. '_Oh well. Now I just have to figure out some way of telling Kisara-san I can't go after all without looking like a total jerk…'_

-x-_**Ami**_-x-

Ami sighed as she stared at the internet browser on her Mercury computer. With the program she'd written that allowed it to emulate the operating systems of other machines, she could run virtually anything on it, and more efficiently than on other computers at that.

'_Well, I've corrected no less than seventeen Wikipedia articles. I need to figure out something else to do now…' _She sat up in her bed and stretched her arms over her head with a small moan as the kinks went away. Though her room came with a television, it was off, and the curtains on her window were closed. Various monitors beside her bed gave numerical readouts, all of which told her she was just fine. Two empty chairs were beside her bed, and there was a sofa beneath the window, beside which there was an end table with several get well cards and a vase with various flowers.

Her eyes lingered on the flowers for a moment, before she returned her attention back to the device in her lap.

'_As convenient as it is, so many of its users are too lazy to bother with proper research… even simple fact checking sometimes…' _She shook her head. '_Hmm… if only there was a wiki for the changes that have been made to this world…' _She chuckled at the thought… then blinked. '_Wait a minute… there might not be a __**wiki **__on this world… but… perhaps there are more logs I can browse…'_

She quickly killed the browser and looked over the data presented to her by the default screen. There was blinking text indicating data pending her review.

'_That's right, I haven't even gone over the data I recorded on Ranma, or that kaiju… Hmm…' _

A few keystrokes later she was staring at a full profile of Ranma Saotome, complete with a rotating model.

'_Hmm… slightly overweight, she seems to have suffered some stunted growth due to poor nutrition during her growth spurts. Interesting… hmm? Several anomalies detected…'_ She raised an eyebrow in confusion as she stared over the information. '_Unusually high levels of testosterone? A degenerated spell matrix?' _She read the details with a creased brow. A few more keystrokes and a strange aura appeared overlaying the model. '_This spell… some sort of… water based enchantment? It's badly damaged…' _She narrowed her eyes. '_Wait… I've __**seen**__ this before!' _

A few keystrokes later and Ranma's profile vanished, replaced by a page with an image of a particular house in Nerima and some text.

'_I knew it. These two are related…' _She hummed to herself as she looked over the details that her scans of the magic phenomenon in Nerima had picked up. _'The enchantment on Ranma was somehow tampered with… And it continues to destabilize even now… Based on the rate of degradation, it happened concurrently with the shift.' _She frowned. '_Likely whatever enchantment was on her was destroyed __**by**__ the shift. If she was at this Tendo Dojo when it happened… then… yes, that's why there was so much raw mana over there. The shift destroyed the spell on her, and then she was moved to wherever she woke up. It would have happened all at once.' _

Satisfied, she sat back and stared down at her computer with a nod. Then, a thought occurred to her, and it was not a pleasant one.

'_But… just what kind of powerful Chaos magic is Ranma dealing with here?' _

Two twin-tail wearing girls walked into the hospital room, one of hair hot pink and one of tresses golden blonde, each in a school uniform of their own. Ami looked up, and her eyes widened on seeing them. Chibi-Usa had a small vase with two water-lilies in it, while Usagi had a small hand basket with an orange and a sandwich inside of plastic wrap inside.

"Usagi-chan! Chibi-Usa-chan!" She said with a smile.

"Ami-chan!" Usagi rushed over to her friend's side and hovered over her. "I was so worried about the surgery and your leg and I was scared you'd be trapped in a wheelchair forever and then you wouldn't be able to swim and you'd be really sad and then I'd be sad and… how are you! Are you okay? Is your leg okay?"

Ami laughed as Chibi-Usa walked over to join them.

"I'm going to be fine, Usagi-chan," She said. "I won't be able to walk on my own for a few months, but I'll heal. I told you this yesterday."

"Oh? So are you going to be using a wheelchair then?" The blonde asked.

The bluenette nodded.

"And crutches, eventually." She said. "Still, I'll be fine. Don't worry. I can do without swimming for a few months. I'm sorry that I won't be able to help you all fight, though."

Usagi sighed in relief.

"What's important is that you heal." She said.

"See, dummy? I told you she'd be okay." Chibi-Usa said.

Usagi growled at her daughter.

"I'm not the dummy, _dummy!_"

Chibi-Usa rolled her eyes.

"Whatever, _dummy_."

"You don't talk to your mother like that, brat!" The blonde snapped.

"You're not my mom _yet!_" The pinkette retorted.

Ami giggled.

"You're both dummies," She said. "Lovable, adorable dummies. Don't ever change."

Both Usagis blushed at her statement.

"Hey… she's not adorable," The pinkette said.

"Pfft, I'm more adorable than _you_." Usagi cleared her throat. "Anyways! We brought you some wellness gifts!" She said, holding up the basket.

Ami smiled and accepted the small vase as Chibi-Usa handed it to her. She lifted one of the flowers up and smelled it.

"Thank you. They're very lovely."

"Ahem," Usagi pulled the sandwich out of the basket. "_This_ I made _myself._" She said with a measure of pride.

Ami stared at the sandwich warily.

"Ah? Is… that so…"

"Don't worry, it's just a peanut butter sandwich," Chibi-Usa explained. "There's nothing in it that can kill you. I watched her make it."

Usagi turned to glare at her daughter while Ami giggled, visibly relieved.

"I'm sure it will be tasty," The Senshi of Mercury said, smiling. "Thank you both so much." She held the vase back out to Chibi-Usa. "Could you put that with the other one?" She asked, pointing at the table by the sofa.

As Chibi-Usa went to go do just that, Usagi glanced around at all of the machines.

"So what do all these numbers mean anyway?" The blonde asked, pointing at one of the monitors.

"Hmm? Well, that one is my heart-rate," Ami said. "And that one right there is blood pressure… temperature…"

"Why isn't your TV on?" Chibi-Usa asked from across the room.

"I was busy." Ami said, holding up the Mercury Computer.

"Aren't you supposed to be relaxing?" Usagi demanded with a frown.

"I am relaxed," Ami said with a smile. "Speaking of which, how is everyone else? I haven't heard much."

"Oh," Usagi blinked. "Well, Mako-chan is doing better. They let her go home last night, but she took the day off from school, so we were going to visit her next. Michiru also went home last night, they said she should just take it easy for a bit and she'll be totally fine."

Ami nodded.

"I'd thought as much."

"What about you? How are you feeling?" Chibi-Usa asked as she returned. Both she and Usagi sat down in the chairs beside the bed.

Ami sighed.

"Well, my leg itches a bit, but it doesn't hurt quite so much as it did yesterday." She said. "How were your days at school? Uneventful, I hope?"

Usagi and Usagi shared a troubled look.

"Our _days_ were fine. We have a problem, though." Chibi-Usa said. "Her parents want to send us to some school near Saitama."

Ami frowned.

"Saitama?" She asked. "That's… a bit of a commute, isn't it?"

"_Boarding_ school." Usagi said with a sigh.

Comprehension dawned on the laid up girl's face.

"Ah."

And then again.

"_Ah_…"

"_Yeah._" Both Usagis said.

"Well, we've got to do something about _that_." Ami said with a frown.

"_Tell_ me about it." They said again.

"Stop doing that," Usagi said, frowning at her daughter.

"_You_ stop," The pinkette countered.

"Do either of you have any ideas?" Ami asked, looking between the two. They each turned to face her again.

"Well, no." Usagi said. "We've tried convincing them but they're decided."

"And I want to avoid altering their minds again." Chibi-Usa said with a wince.

Ami nodded.

"I see. Well, we could convince them that you're vital to the Senshi's operations," She said. "We'd just have to prove it to them."

"You think that'll work?" Usagi asked. "They seemed pretty dead set on it."

"Yeah, they mentioned that they've been planning it for a while now, but yesterday's making them do it sooner." Chibi-Usa chimed in.

"I see." Ami looked down at her lap, her eyes losing focus. "It makes sense. They've been living in this world a lot longer than we have; it's likely our magic is the only reason you're not already at that boarding school."

Usagi blinked, and both of them looked down at her in confusion.

"Huh?"

"As I said yesterday, our magic protected us on a superficial level. Our lives appear to be for the most part, the same as before the shift, unlike say, Ranma, or that Urameshi fellow."

"Ah…" Usagi blinked.

"But now, the incongruities of our previous lives are clashing with the status quo of this world…" she trailed off as she glanced up at their uncomprehending faces, seeing that she'd lost both of them. "Well, it's just a hypothesis, really. Anyway, do you have any ideas on how we could convince your parents that you're vital to the Senshis' operations?"

Usagi simply stared at her as she drew a blank.

"Er… well…"

"We're their _mascots_," Chibi-Usa said with a roll of her eyes.

Ami giggled at that.

"True, but I don't think that's quite enough to convince your grandparents."

"No way…" Usagi murmured in agreement.

"…You could always tell them." Ami said.

"No," Usagi said. "That's not an option. I won't have them worry about me every time I have to defend the city."

One glance at the blonde told Ami she would not budge on her position.

"As you wish." She said with a nod.

Usagi bit her lip, but eventually let out a snigger.

"Oh, just _look_ at us. Super heroines and heirs to awesome magical powers as well as a kingdom that spanned the entire solar system and our biggest problem right now is _my_ _parents want to send me to boarding school." _She burst out laughing, which both Chibi-Usa and Ami joined in on.

After they calmed down, Chibi-Usa looked down at the Mercury Computer.

"So, what were you working on there, Ami-chan?"

"I was just looking over the data recorded from Ranma and the creature we fought yesterday." She explained, glancing down at it. Ranma's profile was still on display.

"Oh? Can I see it?" She asked.

Ami looked over at her.

"Well, certainly, but… can you read it?"

"Sure, we have these all over where I come from," Chibi-Usa said, reaching down and picking it up. "Or well, I should say this is an older model…"

Ami blinked.

"Oh. Of course."

"What's it say?" Usagi asked. "Is her favorite color on there?"

Ami chuckled.

"It can't tell something like that just by scanning her." She said.

"Favorite color appears to be red," Chibi-Usa announced. "Further analysis required."

Ami stared at her, dumbfounded.

"What? Where does it say that?"

Chibi-Usa looked up at her with a mischievous grin.

"I'm _jo-king._"

Ami shook her head as the other girls giggled at her.

"Though really, I'd have to guess red," The pink haired teen said, looking back down at the display. "…What's this about chaos magic?"

Ami shook her head.

"I'm not really sure, I was just getting to that part," she said. "But, a few days ago, we made a trip to Nerima…" She blinked. "Actually, that would be the day you came back, wouldn't it?"

Usagi looked up.

"The day she showed herself to everyone," She amended. "She'd gotten back the previous night, remember?"

Ami nodded.

"Ah, right, anyway, I took scans there, and found a large amount of raw magical energy. Rei mentioned she could sense it, remember?"

Usagi's eyes widened slightly as she recalled the trip.

"Yes, yes, that's right," she said, nodding. "But what does Ranma have to do with that?"

"The magic energy was from a spell that was badly damaged by the shift. The spell in question was some kind of enchantment on Ranma." She explained.

Usagi took a moment to process that, then nodded.

"And… what kind of spell _was_ it?"

Ami shook her head.

"I have no idea, but it was chaos magic."

Usagi frowned.

"Chaos magic? Are you sure?"

"That's what it says here," Chibi-Usa said. She moved through the file a bit, typing a few commands in. "_Raw_ chaos magic at that. Completely unpredictable stuff."

Ami nodded.

"I'd just seen that when you two came in here, but it has me concerned."

Usagi narrowed her eyes.

"You think she may have had something to do with the… _shift_ after all?"

Ami turned away to consider it for a moment, then looked over at Usagi again.

"She may be connected, but that's inconsistent with the point of origin for the spatial schisms."

Usagi tilted her head.

"Somewhere… near Kyoto, right?"

Ami nodded.

"We have to consider the possibility that whatever enemies she has are behind this whole affair. It's indeed possible that a powerful Chaos Sorcerer or something similar is behind this whole ordeal."

Usagi leaned back in her chair.

"That's right, she didn't mention any of her enemies… she said she gets into fights, but…"

Ami shook her head.

"She did mention her enemies. In the park, remember?"

Usagi raised her brow.

"Oh yeah! What was it… phoenixes? Dragons? And then she said something about… _perverts_…?"

Chibi-Usa handed the Mercury Computer back to its owner.

"She didn't show up to school today," The pinkette said, crossing her arms. "Seem suspicious?"

Ami looked down at her computer.

"We don't know yet, but let's try and get in contact with her anyway. Either of you mind calling her?"

-x-_**Ranma-**_x_**-**_

Ranma sat on the pink loveseat in "her" room, a pile of diaries beside her. She was wearing a snug, red T-shirt and black shorts over another borrowed pair of boxers. She put the last diary down on top of the others and yawned, stretching her arms above her head.

This Teriha girl was actually pretty smart, from what she'd read, but seemed to get off on making people think she was a ditz and then playing them for fools – something she could get behind. Most of the entries from the earlier years were about silly day to day things you'd expect from a kid, but as the years went on, the girl had gotten a bit more observant and opinionated, but she had _always_ delighted in tormenting _Mikkon_, who had been her minder for at least ten years. She'd assumed the guy was in his twenties, but apparently he was a very young looking thirty something.

Ranma sighed as she crossed her arms. The last entry – dated five days ago - indicated that Teriha had been considering that she might have a _crush _on the guy, but she _wasn't sure_. It was exactly the sort of wishy-washy _girly_ thing that made her sick to her stomach.

But worse, as she'd gotten to know the girl known as Fujibayashi Teriha, it felt more and more like she'd stolen this girl's life away, like her entrance into this world had _erased_ a different human being from existence. Of course, this world hadn't existed prior to four days ago, but she still couldn't shake that feeling. It was eerie.

"Ugh." She stood up and started stretching more parts of her body. The soreness from that morning was all but gone, and a total survey of her body told her that she was now maybe half as strong as she'd been when they'd left China for the Tendos' place. It wasn't even close to what she'd had just _five days ago_, or even during her "spar" with Shampoo, but she was already among the top tier of the world's martial artists (discounting the Musk and literal monsters like Taro) perhaps even better than Akane had been. And all because of Jusenkyo's magic.

She walked over to the tall mirror on "her" desk and looked herself over. She lifted up her shirt, revealing toned abs – a stark difference from the flab that she'd been able to grab between two fingers. She flexed her left bicep and watched with satisfaction as the muscle went rigid. With a nod she turned around and made her way to one of the windows and looked outside. It was about 3 o'clock, but the sun was already moving towards the horizon.

'_If I could just do __**that**__ again enough times, I might get back what I had…'_ She thought, opening the window. '_But if Cologne's not around to fix me up when I do, it might __**kill**__ me.'_

She opened it, put a foot over the windowsill and tested her balance.

'_Ah, well, it's not like I know how to make it happen anyways.' _

Her phone started ringing.

She sighed and stepped back in then walked over to her desk and looked down at the caller ID. She blinked, not recognizing the name, then suddenly recalled the previous day; it was one of those Senshi girls. She quickly picked it up and pushed talk, then brought it to her ear.

"Yo."

"_Um, hello… Ranma?_" It was the blonde one, with the funny hairdo.

"Yep," She said. "What's up? You guys need me to punch something?"

"_Oh, uh… not now, no… We were just wondering why you weren't in school today." _

She blinked.

"Well… stuff happened…" She mumbled, looking around. "Where do I even start…"

"_Are you alright?"_

Ranma chuckled. The other girl sounded genuinely concerned. She walked over to her extravagant bed and plopped down on it.

"I'm fine. Look, are you sitting? It's a bit of a story."

"_Oh? Um… okay. Hold on a second…" _

Ranma could hear her and someone else talking in the background. After a few seconds, she returned with,

"_Do you mind if I put you on speaker? There are others here." _She said.

"Uh, sure."

A second later, two more voices chimed in.

"_Hello, Ranma-san." _

"_Hey!"_

She tried, but failed to remember the names of the owners of each voice.

"Um, hey yourselves," she said. "You guys ready?"

"_Yep,"_

"Okay. So yesterday, _right_ after we split up, I ran into an old friend of mine, by the name of Ryouga…"

-x-_**Usagi**_-x-

"…_and I just got finished reading my… I mean, reading Teriha's diaries when you called me._"

The three girls stared down at Usagi's phone. Both Usagis had moved their chairs closer to Ami's bed, and the phone was in her lap, on top of the Mercury Computer.

"I… see." Ami said. "Well… you were certainly busy."

"_Ayep. Never a dull moment for Saotome Ranma!"_

"Hm." Ami frowned. "Ranma, that curse you mentioned… Can you tell us more about it?"

"_Uh…_"

They waited as the other girl considered it.

"_Er… well…_" She said with a sigh. "_Look, it's… a personal thing, okay? I'll tell you when I'm ready."_

The three girls shared looks at that.

"It's not anything that can hurt you, is it?"Ami asked.

"_Not any more than it already has,_" The redhead said with a sigh. "_Uh, sorry, but… you're the one with the broken leg, right? Are you doin' any better?"_

Ami chuckled.

"Well, my leg is still broken," she said. "It'll heal properly thanks to the surgery, but… I'm out of action for the time being."

"_Ah… sucks. Well… is that all?"_

The three girls shared a glance.

"Uhm, yes, I think so. Unless you two have anything to add…" Ami prompted, looking between the two Usagis.

They shook their heads.

"_Alright, then I'll catch ya later!"_

And then the line went dead.

"Well, that answers several questions," Chibi-Usa said, sitting up. "The chaos magic is some kind of _curse_ that she's too embarrassed to tell us about… a curse that was powerful enough to leave lingering magical energy even after being destroyed by changes to _history_."

"And she was out of school because she was recovering from a near death encounter with martial arts." Ami heaved a deep breath and picked up her computer, then opened it up, revealing Ranma's profile once more. "What an odd girl."

Usagi shrugged.

"She seems _friendly_ enough," She said, leaning back in her chair. "I'm doubting more and more that she's someone we should be afraid of."

"Agreed," Ami said.

-x-_**Yusuke**_-x-

Yusuke looked around as he walked, hands in his pockets. The sun was setting on the horizon, and the sky was mostly orange and pink. He could tell he was getting closer to "his" apartment by the way the quality of the homes and apartments had declined. Most of them were two story buildings that tried to fit as many singles as possible, and poorly kept. There was paint peeling off of walls that had been adorned with hastily done graffiti, weeds growing in the dead or dying grass, as well as the cracked asphalt parking lots, and the streets themselves weren't much better off. He was sure that some of the old, dilapidated cars parked along the roadside didn't even work.

It was all in stark contrast to the rest of the district, which was all fancy high rise apartment complexes and corporate towers, clean roads and honest men and women wandering the streets. He could still hear the distant sounds of their cars and the occasional train.

Yusuke passed a kid riding a bike as he crossed the street at a crosswalk. There were more areas with cracks in the asphalt than without.

'_Definitely getting close,' _He thought. As he passed one house in particular, he glanced down, noticing some green spray paint on the pavement. His eyes quickly caught sight of the grass in the yard he was standing next to, and he quickly realized that the lawn, which was full of dead grass, had been sprayed with green paint. He shook his head and continued on, walking over a storm drain at the end of an alleyway.

"_Mmmf!"_

Yusuke slowed to a stop on hearing a distant feminine whimper. He looked around for the source of the sound with a frown, then took a few steps backwards and looked into the alleyway. The sounds were definitely coming from in there.

The retired spirit detective pulled his hands out of his pockets as he entered the alleyway. Deeper in, he could see that it intersected with another alleyway. Slowly, he made his way further into the passage, and he could hear heavy panting. The whining was continuing, and it sounded even more pitiful than before.

As he neared, he heard an agitated man's voice.

"Shut up, you stupid bitch! What if someone _hears?!"_

The whimpers got louder as he got closer, and Yusuke was beginning to form a picture in his mind as he neared the corner.

'_Hmm… maybe I should leave them…'_

He turned around and started to walk away, but froze when the whimpers turned into choked sobs. There was a loud slap.

"Shut _up!"_

The sobs rose sharply for an instant, but quieted down. Yusuke narrowed his eyes and turned back around.

'_Oh hell no.'_

He turned and ran towards the intersection. A moment later he came upon the sight of young man, holding a pink-haired girl in a familiar high school uniform up against the dirty brick wall. The man's pants were down to his knees, and the girl's pink panties were lying on the filth-covered ground. Tears streamed down the girl's pained face as the man held one of her legs up with one hand and covered her mouth with the other.

"You get the _hell_ off of her!" Yusuke roared as he charged.

The man turned to see him with a look of shock.

"What the fuck?"

The very next second, Yusuke's right knuckle connected with his face, tearing him away from his victim. The girl screamed as she fell to the ground, and the man flew several feet before landing on his butt, blood streaming from his nose.

"Oww! You mother fucker! What the fuck is _wrong_ with you!?"

Yusuke looked at the man like he was crazy.

"Wrong with _me?_ You're here raping this girl and you're seriously going to ask me that?"

"Rape… you fucking moron! I _paid_ for this!"

Yusuke stared at him in confusion, then glanced down at the girl with a frown. He didn't get a chance to say anything, though, as two men suddenly ran into the alley. One of them wore a muscle shirt and jeans, while the other wore a leather jacket over a school uniform. Both wore leather boots and had numerous tattoos and piercings, and the one in the uniform was smoking a cigarette. They immediately spotted Yusuke.

"What's going on here?" One of them asked. "Who the hell are you?"

"This asshole came in here and punched me in the face!" The man on the ground shouted. "I didn't pay for this shit!"

Yusuke scowled and pointed at the pink haired girl. She was still crying, but now also had a look of horror on her face.

"You assholes selling this girl?" He demanded.

The two men glared at him.

"Who wants to know?"

Yusuke cracked his knuckles with narrowed eyes.

"The man who runs this town."

They both stared at him for a moment, before breaking out into laughing fits.

"You must be some kind of idiot," The one with the jacket said. He reached into his coat pocket and retrieved a knife.

"No! Please! Don't kill him!" The girl on the ground cried out. "He was just trying to help!"

"And if you'd stop fucking crying he wouldn't have barged in!" The man on the ground roared. "You assholes need to train your sluts better! I want my fucking money back!"

"No refunds," The man with the knife said. "Are we gonna have ta punish you again, Misaki? Or are you gonna shut up and show this nice gentleman a good time?" He tossed the knife from one hand to the other. "Dependin' on your answer, I might be generous and let hero boy here go _without _a new breathin' hole in his neck."

The girl, Misaki, stopped crying almost immediately.

"I'll, I'll do it, just let him go!"

The man with the knife chuckled.

"Right answer." He turned to Yusuke. "Looks like you get a lucky break, kid."

Yusuke stared at the girl on the ground. She looked absolutely miserable, and was fighting hard not to cry.

And then suddenly he remembered seeing this same girl being kicked around by a group of men not unlike the one before him.

_Are we gonna have to punish you again? _

Yusuke's eyes hardened.

"Yeah, lucky me."

He ran towards the man with the knife, slamming his fist into the man's face. He followed up with an uppercut and a knee to the crotch. The man dropped his weapon and clutched his groin with a pained expression on his face, but Yusuke followed up on his brutal assault, grabbing his head and slamming it into the same knee repeatedly. The man cried out in pain the first two times, but fell silent after that, and Yusuke dropped him to the ground.

"You son of a bitch!"

Yusuke turned in time to receive a fist straight to the mouth. His head snapped back, but he instinctively moved to avoid the follow up and countered with a punch of his own. The other man caught his fist and pulled him in for another punch, but Yusuke moved his head to the side to avoid it and instead used the momentum to head-butt his foe in the nose, knocking the man senseless. He pulled back a fist and slammed it into the man's neck, then kneed him in the chest, and took a step back. His opponent wobbled on his feet, unsteady, giving Yusuke ample time to pull his fist back and deliver a devastating haymaker. As the thug flew into the side of a building, he turned to snarl at the man on the ground, who was looking at him in absolute terror.

"Ah… _Aiiieeee!_" The man quickly climbed to his feet and scrambled to get the hell away from him, and Yusuke snorted.

Sitting speechless against the wall, Misaki stared up at him in awe. He glanced at her, then walked over and kicked her panties over to her.

"Get dressed." He said, walking away.

When he turned out of the alleyway and onto the sidewalk, he folded his arms behind his head.

'_That wasn't even a workout,'_ He thought, a little disappointed, as he rubbed his mouth. The man's punch had made him cut his mouth on his teeth, but other than that he was fine.

It was then that the pink haired girl, now dressed, ran out of the alleyway after him.

"You idiot! What the hell are you trying to do!?"

He turned to face her as she fell in behind him.

"You're welcome." He said. "But that's the weirdest thanks anyone's ever given me before."

She growled.

"You don't know who you're dealing with! These people will kill you!"

"Good. Let them come," He said. "Life was getting boring anyway."

She ran over to stand in front of him and glared at him.

"What the hell is wrong with you? _I'm serious!_" she shouted.

He stopped and glared right back.

"Look," He said. "I know you're serious and all, but I heard what sounded like someone getting _raped_. Are you saying I should have _ignored _that?"

She stared at him for a moment, surprised, but then nodded quickly.

"Of course! You had no idea what you were _dealing_ with! And it wasn't rape!"

He snorted.

"I don't know, if you ask me, a prostitute who is doin' a job she hates, that's rape." He said as he started walking again.

"I don't hate what I do." She said quietly.

He blinked and stopped again, then turned to look at her.

"You didn't exactly look happy to _me_." He said.

She lowered her head and laughed. It was a bitter laugh, tinged with anger and shame.

"That's the part that I hate." She said. "I _love it_. I can't get enough of it. And that… makes me _sick_."

He folded his arms behind his head. This was gonna be a complicated one, wasn't it.

She laughed again, but refused to look up and meet his eyes.

"Don't _you_ feel stupid?"

He shrugged.

"All the time," He said. "Look, I'm not book smart or anything, you know? But I do know when I see something that's wrong, and I'm not the type of guy that can just ignore that kind of shit. It's gotten me killed before, and I wouldn't be surprised if it did again."

She looked up at him in confusion, but he continued.

"Now are you gonna just sit here and mope, or will you actually tell me what the hell's going on?" He turned around and continued walking. "For starters, how did you even get _involved_ with those losers?"

She started walking after him.

"My dad… they work for my dad."

Yusuke narrowed his eyes.

"Your _dad_ put you up to this shit?"

She nodded.

"He's… part of a bigger organization," She said. "All I know is that I'm a source of _income _for him. For them."

"Wait a minute…" He said, glancing at her. "You're a half-demon, aren't you?"

Her eyes widened in visible surprise at his question.

"W-what?"

"Your dad, he's some kind of demon, isn't he?" He pressed, getting a better look at her. Now that he was actually looking for it, he could see that she had demonic energy.

"You… you know about us?" She stopped walking again. "What… who _are_ you?"

"I'm just a guy. Retired demon hunter, I guess." He said. "Relax, I'm not gonna kill you."

She deflated with visible relief and followed after him again.

"Then why did you help me, if you knew I was…"

"Humans, demons, youkai, it doesn't matter to me," He said. "If I see someone in trouble they didn't earn, I help 'em out."

She stared at him for a bit, then shook her head.

"You're crazy. Most of my kind eat yours for dinner."

"You're half-human, aren't you? So they're technically both your kind." He stopped before a familiar dilapidated two story apartment building and looked up. "Well, here we are. Home, sweet home."

She looked up at it.

"You live in this dump?"

"Yep. Ain't it great?"

She shook her head.

"What am I doing here?" She muttered.

"You're telling me what the hell is going on and why you're working as a prostitute?" He said, raising his eyebrow. "Misaki, right?"

She sighed.

"Yeah… Hasebe Misaki."

"Urameshi Yusuke. So, Misaki," He said, crossing his arms. "Why are you doing a job you don't want to do?"

She walked over and leaned on the corner of the building.

"Because I don't have a choice? If I don't, they'll…" Suddenly her eyes lit up and she gasped. "You!" She shouted, pointing at him. "You're that _guy!_"

He chuckled.

"Took you that long?"

She stared at him in slack jawed shock and he continued on.

"Anyways, as you can see, I can take a beating or two." He said. His expression took a darker turn, though. "Still, I think I know what happens if you disobey your old man."

She lowered her arm and looked down at the ground.

"My father is an incubus," She explained. "He doesn't understand why I don't… want my job. He thinks I'm just being… _rebellious_."

Yusuke stared at her.

"Well. That is… a thing."

She nodded.

"Yeah."

He hmm'd.

"Okay, I mean, he's a sleazebag and all, but have you even tried talking to him?"

She nodded again.

"Like I said, he thinks I'm just being _rebellious_. And he leaves… _discipline_ to the underlings, since he has _other responsibilities_."

He shook his head. After a moment, the whole situation sank in, and a solution – at least a temporary one – popped into his head.

"You don't have anywhere to go, do you?"

She looked up at him and blinked.

"Huh?"

"You don't have a place to stay other than with those assholes," He said, putting a hand on his hip. "Am I right?"

She stared at him.

"I'm not staying with you, Yusuke."

"You'd rather go back to those assholes?" He asked.

She shook her head.

"I'm not going to inconvenience you just because my dad's a jerk!"

He raised his brow, letting his incredulity show. Kids this deep in the underworld _always_ had a skewed sense of these things, and she looked to be a year or two younger than him.

"Your dad's a _jerk?_" He repeated. "Holy shit is _that_ the understatement of the year!"

She sighed, then stood up off of the building and dusted herself off.

"Yusuke, you're a nice guy, really, but I can't do this to you. Look, this whole conversation was a mistake," she said as she started walking away. "Just… stop trying to be a hero, alright? Lay low or something, _please_. I'll deal with this on my own."

He opened his mouth and took a step towards her.

"Misaki-"

"I don't want to be responsible for you getting hurt again, _alright?!_" She shouted. "So just… _leave me alone!_"

And with that she took off running, leaving him standing before his dilapidated apartment complex. Yusuke watched her run away, then sighed and looked down at the ground with narrowed eyes. Her pride was making her act stupid, but at least she'd given him a clue.

"Hasebe, eh?"

-x-_**Kenichi**_-x-

Kenichi sighed as he trudged along the sidewalk, his hands on each strap of his backpack. The day had been largely uneventful. Niijima hadn't even bothered showing up to school, so he'd gotten to sit next to Miu again, and while Kisara had nagged him for a bit in the morning, begging him to get back into their game, he hadn't seen her since lunch. He was half sure she was _planning_ to wait until Thusday to even contact him again so that it'd be harder for him to refuse going without looking like a total jerk, and it wasn't like he could go find her since he had no idea where she lived or even where her class was at the school for that matter.

He had gone to the garden club after class – which he'd had to switch into with the help of the class rep (whose name he hadn't known) – just to end up working with people he'd never met before. They were nice enough, but for his only haven in school to have lost the other two usual members was another reminder that this place - this world – was one in which he didn't belong.

'_Elder dead… everyone else missing… and the only reason I know I'm not crazy is because Chikage remembers the things that I do.' _He sighed. '_When did my life get so odd?'_

He stopped before the familiar two story house that his family called home. It still felt odd, coming back to this place after school instead of the dojo, but there was nothing else he could do. He sighed, made his way to the door and opened it.

"I'm home," He called out half-heartedly.

"Welcome back! How was your day?" His mother's voice came back from the kitchen, where he could hear her working on the family's evening meal. The family television could also be heard, what sounded like a news report filtering in from the other room.

"It was fine." He responded, taking his shoes off and putting on a pair of slippers.

"Good," she called back.

He made his way to the stairs, and then his room. Honoka was sitting at his desk, his computer screen on some kind of game. She glanced back at him.

"Oh," She murmured. "Big brother."

"Hey, Honoka." He said with a soft smile.

She stared at him for a bit, then looked back at the computer.

"You really _aren't_ the big brother I know…" she said.

He sighed and walked over to her.

"That's true, I'm not the Kenichi you know," he admitted. "But I'm still Kenichi, and you're still my sister."

She looked up at him with a frown.

"The Kenichi I know woulda been yelling at me for being on his computer," She mumbled. "If you're not him, then where did _he_ go?"

Kenichi froze as he stared down at her. He honestly had no idea how to answer her question.

'_According to what those girls told us yesterday… this world didn't even exist before a few days ago, since it was created when a whole bunch of universes fused together.' _He frowned at that and looked away from Honoka. He didn't want to tell her that the Kenichi she knew likely never existed in the first place, especially since he didn't know whether or not that was _true. _He wasn't an expert on any of this… ridiculous meta-physical stuff, though a quick glance around the room identified a few books that might be able to help him out in that regard.

"I… don't know," he said, returning his gaze to her. "What kind of person… was your brother?"

She looked up and stared into his eyes, then looked away and blushed, pursing her lips.

"Well… he was kind and sweet… in his own way…" She mumbled the last part.

He chuckled. From what he'd seen at school, the him from this world was lazy and irresponsible.

"I'm not going to be offended if you say something bad." He said. "It's not exactly me, after all."

She shook her head.

"I mean it," she said. "He… always looked out for me when we were kids." She looked up at him. "A lot of people think badly of him, saying he's a coward and a recluse, but that was because they didn't know him! They didn't know him… like I did."

He chuckled.

"Well, I might not be him, but that sounds like what I had with my Honoka. Though I can't deny the part about being a coward…" he said sheepishly. Even after a year of practicing martial arts, muscular looking delinquents still frightened him. He'd read something about it in a psychology book; something about ingrained responses…

"Well, well, you might be a coward, but you still try to do the right thing," She said with a frown. "That's got to count for something, right? _Right?_"

He sighed.

"I'd like to think so…"

"He did too," she said. "He knew that he couldn't fight off bullies in real life, so he joined a group on the internet that helped other people deal with their problems by giving out advice." She said. "You…" she shook her head. "He's a bit of a net-celebrity."

He blinked.

"I am? I mean, he was?"

She nodded and pointed to the large poster of the bishounen character on his wall.

"That's your netgame character," she said. "You've got fans who even make things like that for you."

He blinked and turned to look at the poster. It looked like it had been done by a professional. He had been confused why it was there before, since he didn't recognize the character.

"That… that's… _my_ character?" He murmured.

She nodded.

"Yup."

He stared at it for a bit, then frowned and turned to look at her.

"Wait, wait a second. You know the password to my computer?"

She nodded.

"Ryozanpaku. It's the name of your group."

He stared down at her.

"What?"

She tilted her head.

"Wait, weren't you blabbering on about a Ryozanpaku Dojo before…?"

He nodded.

"That was the name of the dojo my masters were in," He said, staring down at the computer with a frown.

She blinked.

"Huh."

He chuckled and reached over to tousle her hair.

"Well, anyway, I can't replace the brother you know, but I'm still Shirahama Kenichi. I'll try to live up to your expectations as a brother, alright?"

Her face turned cherry red at his touch.

"A, ah, yeah, okay!" She quickly stood up. "Um… I just remembered I had to go do something. See you!"

She made a mad dash for the door and was out of his room in seconds. He stared for a bit, then shrugged, and sat down at his desk, dropping his book bag down to the ground. Now that he knew how to get in his computer, he could start looking for clues about his friends in earnest. There was homework, but given the circumstances, he didn't at all feel inclined to do it. He closed the game that Honoka had been playing and suddenly found himself trying to decipher all of the icons on his desktop.

'_What the… what is all of this software!?'_ He grit his teeth. There was so much internet slang in the filenames that his eyes were starting to hurt.

He moved over to open what he thought might be an internet browser when an instant message window popped up on the screen.

_konakona: hey! where have you been!?_

He stared back at it and winced. He had no idea who this person was, or how to respond.

_konakona: you dropped off of the face of the planet for four whole days! what happened?_

Kenichi sighed.

'_Oh boy…_' He wracked his brain for something – _anything_ – but drew a blank.

_konakona: are you ignoring me? did i make you mad or something_

_strongest_in_history: no! no im just… uh_

He stared at "his" screen name with half-lidded incredulity.

'_Heh… yeah, sounds like something I'd come up with…_'

_strongest_in_history: um, how long have we known each other_

His response came just over ten seconds later.

_konakona: four years now?_

He stared at the screen. This was it. This person was going to tell him everything he needed to know about this world's version of himself.

_strongest_in_history: im going to tell you a story that sounds bizarre, but I want you to humor me, okay? _

_konakona: …okay?_

He stared at the screen as he considered how to start his _story. _He began typing, then deleted it all, and this repeated itself for about a minute before finally he began typing in earnest.

_strongest_in_history: Let's say that I woke up four days ago, and noticed that something was very wrong with the world. Some people I knew had disappeared, replaced by some I'd never met before, and the ones that I did know acted totally different… _

-x-_**Ranma**_-x-

Ranma climbed in through the window to her room, drying her sweat off with a towel. She'd done her evening kata on the mansion's roof; it was full of empty space and the uneven terrain had been perfect for testing her balance. She had been able to push herself to her newfound limits and see just what she was capable of now, and she liked the improvements very much. It wasn't quite as good as she'd assumed, but it was still far better than not being able to clear a three foot fence.

'_Now that I think about it…_' She narrowed her eyes as she looked down at her knee. The scabs from her having scraped her knee on that first day were still there. She reached down and rubbed it, and that sent a jolt of pain up her leg. '_That's weird… shouldn't __**this**__ have healed too?'_

She narrowed her eyes at that, but couldn't come up with a reason why a simple scrape was still healing when her torn muscles had recovered overnight.

She shrugged and made her way over to her bed and dropped down on it, glancing at "her" alarm clock. It was 5:22 pm. If they stayed true to form, the maids would come get her in an half an hour for dinner, and she would take a bath afterwards. She'd probably train some more after that; after all, there was no guarantee that whatever had happened the day before would happen again, and only constant practice would keep her in top form.

Well, having some actual fights would help a lot more, but still, the idea was the same.

'_Hmm…_' She glanced over at her cellphone, which was still lying on her bed from the conversation with the Senshi girls. '_There's one thing I haven't tried yet…'_

She picked up the phone and went through the directory, then selected the ninth number on the list and held it up to her ear. It rang for a moment, before,

"_Teriha? What is it? I'm awfully busy."_

"Papa," Ranma began, leaning her head on her shoulder. "I had a quick question… something that's been bothering me a lot recently," She said.

"_Oh? Well, if it's been on your mind for a while, then I'll try my best to help_." The man said cheerfully. "_But please make it quick."_

"Okay," She said. "Well… I was wondering… have you heard of anyone named Saotome Genma?"

The man's breath caught in his throat. Ranma waited expectantly for an answer, but there was only silence.

"Papa?"

"_Where did you hear that name?_" He demanded. He sounded… addled – _disturbed_, even.

She frowned.

"I… I uh, well… I was reading about someone named Genma on the internet," She said. "A martial arts master or something?"

"_No._" The man said quickly. "_I don't know anyone by that name. I'm sorry, they need me over here. I'll call you back, alright?"_

She blinked.

"Uh… okay."

And then the line went dead. She stared down at it and blinked a few times, then set her phone down and looked up at the canopy of her bed.

'_So what now?' _

She'd found out everything she could about Teriha and her family, as well as Fuji Corporation. It was a company started by Fujibayashi Mitsugu's father (Teriha's grandfather). Mitsugu, once the CEO, was now on the board of directors, and her mother, Manami, was a software engineer. The company itself was an international, multi-trillion-yen conglomerate that put out all kinds of electronic devices from televisions to personal computers and even video game consoles, had its own music label, and even produced high budget movies in both Japan and America, and owned numerous smaller companies.

A glance around the room had told her that every electronic device she owned had the _Fuji_ brand on it.

The day was nearing its end, and yet she'd only taken the first step in getting her bearings in this crazy world. She still had no idea where her real parents were, where the Tendos were, how to return things to normal, or who was even behind it all. And tomorrow she was going to have to go back to _school_ before dealing with the things that really mattered again. She didn't really _have _to since she could run away, but having access to all of this money was a lot more convenient than being a vagabond – at least until she had an idea where to even _go_. Wasting six or so hours a day was a steep price to pay, but she didn't have much else choice.

There was a knock on the door to her room.

"_Young Miss,_" Came the voice of a maid. "_You have a phone call."_

She raised an eyebrow and looked down at her cell phone.

"Who is it?" She called back.

"_Your father."_

Ranma frowned.

'_What? Why didn't he call me on the cell?'_

"_Please come to your father's study."_ The maid said before walking away.

Ranma stared down at her cell phone. After a moment, she hopped off of the bed and walked over to the door. She'd mapped the place out during her _Umisenken_ training earlier, so she knew where the study was.

Moments later she entered the room. It was as elegant and refined as the rest of the mansion, with hand-carved bookcases lined with all manner of books, from treatises on business and management to programming manuals and even some manga and novels. European-style oil paintings adorned the walls, like in the foyer, and a chandelier – not quite as fancy as the others in the mansion, but still far more elegant than anything in the Tendo home - hung from the ceiling, lighting up the room. It had a hardwood floor, on top of which a soft Persian rug lay, dead center.

On that was Fujibayashi Mitsugu's desk – also hand-carved; mahogany wood, like her own, with a dark green felt-cover on top, and a matching chair with a soft cushion in the same color. Next to a computer monitor (_Fuji_ brand, of course) there were some books and pens, and most notably a telephone (also _Fuji_); the maid from earlier was standing beside the desk with its handset held to her ear.

"She's here." The woman said. "Yes, sir. Understood." She smiled and offered the phone to Ranma, who blinked and walked over to her. The pig-tailed teen accepted the phone and watched as the woman silently walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Ranma narrowed her eyes. The woman had moved with poise that none of the other maids had, and despite wearing normal dress shoes, hadn't made a sound against the hardwood floor. It suddenly struck her that she hadn't noticed that woman before, when surveying the manor under the cloak of the _Umisenken_.

"_Teriha?"_

She held the phone up to her ear.

"Yes, papa?"

"_How did you really hear about Genma?_" The man asked. "_He's not exactly a public figure._"

She frowned.

"I already told you, I read it on the internet," She said.

"_Impossible._" The man snapped. "_Saotome is a recluse. There's no way you could have read about him on the internet._"

She froze.

"Then… you _do_ know him?"

The man on the other end sighed.

"_Tell me the truth. Where did you hear his name?_"

She frowned. Was Genma an even bigger sleazebag here than in the real world or something? Had he robbed the man at some point, or somehow offended him?

"I… I was rereading my diaries," she began. "And… at one point, I'd overheard you talking about him. I wrote his name down because it sounded important, but I forgot to ask you about him."

The man growled.

"_How many __**times**__ have I told you not to eavesdrop on my business conversations?!_" He demanded. "_Teriha, there are some things you don't __**need**__ to know!_"

She frowned, holding the phone away from her ear. When she was sure he was done, she brought it back to head.

"As a kid, maybe, but I'm not a little kid anymore." She said.

The man on the other end sighed audibly.

"_No. I suppose you aren't._" He said. "_Still, it's rude to eavesdrop. If there's something you need to know regarding the family, I'll __**tell**__ you._"

"Okay, then," she said, narrowing her eyes, though the effect was lost. "_Who is Saotome Genma?_"

There was another long pause on the other end as the man considered just how he'd answer her question. It was obvious from the way he was handling her that it was a fairly important issue, and she was beginning to wonder just _what_ her father had done to the man.

"_He's part of an organization that has long been a benefactor to Fujibayashi Corporation,_" The man began. "_He is indeed a powerful martial artist. One of the most powerful in the world._"

She blinked. Genma _was_ strong, but one of the strongest in the _world? _Maybe the man just didn't have anything else to compare him to.

"The strongest in the world, eh?" She murmured.

"_That's not what I said, though it wouldn't be wrong._"

She blinked.

"What did you mean then?"

"_I'm sorry._" The man said. "_That's all I'll say on the matter._"

She puckered her lips. So there were some things he was outright unwilling to tell her? Well, there were still some things she could ask.

"Alright then…" She said. "Does he have any kids? A son, maybe?"

"_**No.**_" He said forcefully.

Though she was slightly taken aback by that, she pressed on.

"A wife?"

"…_His wife is dead._"

Ranma's heart skipped a beat.

"His… his wife is… _dead?_"

"_Yes_."

Her mouth went dry at the thought, but there was still something she had to know.

"Ah… what… what was her name?"

"_His wife's name?_" The man sounded confused. "_Why would you… well… hmm…_" He considered it for a bit, then sighed. "_Her name was Nodoka_."

Ranma closed her eyes.

"I, I see."

"_Is there anything else?_"

"No, s-sorry to bother you." She said, her voice shaky.

"_Teriha? Are you alright?_" He asked, concern melting through his stern demeanor.

"Huh? Oh, uh…" she cleared her throat. "Yeah… Um, I'm just sorry I bothered you with something so silly like this, okay? I'm sure you're busy."

"_Well…_" He trailed off. "_I'm sorry I got so upset, dear, but you really need to not eavesdrop on my conversations when I'm around, okay?_"

"Okay. Um, I'll talk to you later."

"…_Alright. I love you."_

She choked.

"Um, yeah, I uh, love you too."

He chuckled at that.

"_Bye._"

And then the line went dead. She hung the phone up and took a step back from it.

In this world, Saotome Nodoka was dead. At least, according to Fujibayashi Mitsugu anyway. She wasn't sure if she could take his word at face value, given all of the cloak and dagger stuff he'd just pulled, but she had a feeling he was telling the truth.

Feeling something strange, she looked down at her hands.

They were shaking.

She growled defiantly and clenched them into fists. Despite that, they still shook.

'_All the more reason to fix this screwed up world,_' She thought with narrowed eyes as she turned and walked out of the study. '_Now to figure out who that woman is…'_

-x-_**Kenichi**_-x-

_strongest_in_history: and that's it._

Kenichi sat back and heaved a heavy sigh as he stared down at his computer. Halfway through he had lost a bit of confidence in the idea, and was sure this person was thinking him insane by now, but once he'd started, he couldn't stop. He'd given them a brief summary of events, without really going into detail on how his life had been before _the change,_ since the important part was that he was not this universe's Kenichi. Now he just needed to see how they reacted.

_konakona: sounds like a good premise_

_konakona: you gonna make this into a manga or something?_

He sighed.

_strongest_in_history: maybe, but for now, could you just humor me and pretend like everything I just said is true and actually applies to me? _

He narrowed his eyes as a thought suddenly struck him.

_strongest_in_history: I'm trying to gauge how the main character's friends would react. _

_konakona: wow you're serious about this _

_konakona: do you have an artist locked down? It's Nikita isn't it?_

_strongest_in_history: Nikita?_

_konakona: the guy who did character art for you before right?_

Kenichi glanced over at the poster.

_strongest_in_history: I haven't told anyone else about it yet_

_strongest_in_history: so, yeah, just pretend the stuff I said is true. What do you tell me?_

_konakona: I don't see how that's relevant to the story_

_konakona: shouldn't the character's reaction depend on their relationship_

He sighed audibly.

'_This guy…'_

_konakona: if they were boyfriend and girlfriend then my reaction might be relevant_

_konakona: are they?_

Kenichi stared at the screen in utter silence.

-x-_**Usagi**_-x-

"I can't believe you're already home from the hospital," Usagi said. "It's a broken bone, right? Isn't it serious? You didn't need surgery or anything?"

She and all of the other Inner Senshi save Ami were at Makoto's place, all five of them with their legs beneath the round kotatsu in the middle of her room. The room was small, but had a television set on a stand with a dvd player and some movies, and a window that had thin pink drapes. There was a basket of fruit that her visitors had brought on the center of the table, and open textbooks and homework sheets lay before each of the girls, though Chibi-Usa and Rei's were both different. Both Luna and Artemis were curled up beside their respective owners.

Makoto shrugged.

"Two," She said. "And it can get worse, but a fractured rib alone isn't too bad. And no, they just took an x-ray, gave me some pain medication and sent me on my way. I can't do anything strenuous, but I should be just fine in what, five or six weeks?"

"Huh…" Usagi said,

"So have you figured out what to do about that whole boarding school thing?" Rei asked. She was laying back on the floor, propped up on an elbow, and reached into a bag of chips beside her and popped one in her mouth.

Usagi sighed and deflated, falling face first into her textbook.

"No!" She cried. "The only thing that seems like it'll work is Ami-chan's idea."

Minako looked over at her.

"What idea?"

"Since we don't want to tell them we're Sailor Senshi, she said we should prove that we're at least essential to the Sailor Senshi's efforts." Chibi-Usa said while scribbling some answers on her worksheet.

"Oh?" Makoto asked. Her gaze drifted upwards as she considered it. "Hmm…"

Rei sniggered.

"Essential to the Sailor Senshi's efforts?" Her snickering turned into full out laughter.

Usagi growled and turned her head to glare at the other teen.

"We _are_ essential to the Sailor Senshi's efforts!" She snapped.

Rei's laughter decreased a bit.

"Well, I guess you do help out," she began. "No enemy has failed to be distracted by the _leader_ of our team tripping over her own feet!"

Usagi blushed and grit her teeth, sitting up.

"Rei-chan, you're so mean!"

"She has a point," Luna said. "It _is_ very distracting."

"Regardless… we should be focused on the issue at hand." Artemis said. "There's no way we can let Usagi leave Juuban. Not now, when there's so many things going wrong."

"Indeed. What if another creature like the one that attacked yesterday appears?" Luna prompted. "The rest of you were able to damage it incrementally, but only Sailor Moon has the power to destroy such a creature outright."

Usagi smirked at Rei, who ignored her in favor of giving her textbook a solemn frown.

"That is true," The miko said. "And that was a very… _dark_ creature. I could sense its aura… it seemed as if an incarnation of _hatred_ _itself_."

Usagi's mirth died as the other girl's words registered.

"I did a fire reading last night, to try and discern the creature's origins… and the fire exploded and nearly ignited me and the room. I had to put it out."

The girls all shared concerned looks at that.

"What do you think that means?" Minako asked.

Rei shook her head.

"Whatever is behind that thing's appearance doesn't like being spied on."

They all sat there in thoughtful silence as they considered the significance of such a reaction.

"It must have powerful spiritual or magical abilities if it can counteract your prescience." Luna said after a moment. "I have a feeling that creature's appearance wasn't as random as the _youkai_ we have supposedly encountered in the past, or Ami-chan would have mentioned it."

"Indeed. All the more reason we need to keep Sailor Moon here, in case another one should be sent." Artemis said.

"Yes, we _know_ I need to stay here," Usagi grumbled. "What we _don't_ know is _how we convince my parents of that_."

"Oh, right."

"We'll be graduating from middle school in a few months," Makoto pointed out. "Maybe you could convince them to let you stay until then?"

"We don't know for a fact if Usagi is graduating," Rei said.

"_Hey!_"

"That's true…" Makoto said with a sigh.

"I'm right here you know!"

"Oh, maybe she can say that switching to a new school at this point would make it harder to graduate?" Minako said, looking around the table and ignoring Usagi's vocal protests. "She'd have to adapt and all, and she won't have Ami-chan around to help her out."

"That's worth a shot." Luna said. "If it works, then at the very least it'll buy us time to think of a more permanent solution."

"Indeed." Artemis said.

They all sat in thoughtful silence for a moment, until finally Rei spoke up.

"I can't think of anything else short of having the Senshi telling them flat out that we need her," Rei said. "It would be easy for me or Ami-chan, given our talents, but for Usagi it's hard to say why without revealing who she is."

Usagi pouted, but didn't refute her statement.

"Then we'll go with the graduation thing for now," Luna said. "If all else fails though, we'll just have to use Chibi-Usa's hypnosis trick. Sailor Moon leaving Juuban is simply unacceptable."

They all nodded at that, except for Usagi, who bit her lip but said nothing, and Chibi-Usa, who was still scribbling away at her worksheet.

"Anyway, I also did some fire readings on the other people we met." Rei said. "I couldn't see anything suspicious, or that indicated they were anything other than what they said… except for Ranma."

They all turned to look at her.

"What did you see?" Makoto asked.

Rei hesitated, then shook her head.

"When I did her reading, I saw both her and a man. He was similar to her, and I thought at first that maybe he was a brother or something… yet there was this distinct impression that they were the same person."

The room's occupants blinked as one at that announcement.

"Huh?"

Rei shrugged.

"I'm not sure. We'll have to ask her about it."

Minako looked over at her.

"What did he look like? Was he a hottie?"

The miko rolled her eyes.

"I wasn't exactly focused on that, you know. But I _guess_ you could say he was good looking."

"Have you made any progress on figuring out who was behind the changes to history?" Luna asked.

Rei shook her head and sat up.

"It's the same every time; I see a stadium packed full of people, rather than a single individual, and I can't make out any of their faces." she said. "I don't know what to make of it."

Makoto hmm'd.

"What kind of stadium?" She asked.

"Baseball," Rei said. "I'm not sure how to interpret that, either."

Minako tilted her head.

"You think maybe the person who's behind all of this thinks of it as some sort of game?"

Usagi frowned.

"I sure hope not," She said. "You can't go messing with history for kicks. Or merging worlds together or whatever it is they did, for that matter."

They all sounded their agreement, and then Luna spoke up.

"Well, that's all we can do about that for now," She said. "We should focus on the things we _can _handle right now – like homework."

They all returned their focus to their respective textbooks. Usagi groaned almost immediately.

"_Man_… I wish Ami-chan was here… _She'd_ know the answers to these questions…"

"Annnnd… done." Chibi-Usa set her pencil down, then sat back. "Are you guys _still_ working on yours?"

The other girls all looked at her in surprise.

"What? You're _finished!?" _Usagi demanded, looking down at Chibi-Usa's homework. "With _math?!_"

"_Yeah?_" The pink haired teen said, raising an eyebrow. "It was easy-peasy. They teach this stuff in primary school where I'm from." She said with a yawn.

Rei chuckled and sneered at the blonde.

"Oh? Maybe you can ask your _daughter_ for help, then."

Usagi shamelessly turned to look at said daughter with a pleading face.

"Please help me figure this out, oh, wonderful smart child of mine!"

Chibi-Usa raised an eyebrow at that.

"_Ehh_…"

Usagi scooted over and put her head on the older girl's shoulder.

"Did I mention you're also kind and gracious and very loving of your mother?"

Chibi-Usa considered it for another moment, then shrugged and looked over at the other girl's textbook and assignment.

"Sure, why not? I didn't understand any of it until middle school, but still… piece of cake!"

"Oh! Thank you! _Thankyouthankyouthankyou!_"

"Yeah yeah," The other girl said, pushing her away. "You know you're gonna _owe_ me for this, right?"

"I promise to eat your favorite foods when I'm pregnant with you," Usagi said. "Deal?"

Makoto watched as the two haggled, and leaned in to Minako.

"Do you really think it's safe to ask for _her_ help?" She whispered.

Minako's answer was a shake of the head.

-x-_**Haruka**_-x-

Haruka yawned as she opened the door to her shared condo and stepped inside. She quickly noticed Michiru, wearing only a simple sundress and sitting on their indigo sofa and working on a laptop as she herself had the night before.

"Welcome home, dear," The aquamarine-trussed teen said without glancing at her. "How was your day?"

"_Draining_," Haruka said with a heavy sigh as she closed the door behind her. "And shouldn't you be resting right now?"

Her question earned her a snicker from her lover.

"I'm not going to stay in bed _all_ day," She said. "I feel perfectly fine. Besides, you're the one who should be resting, little miss _all-nighter_. And as for how _my_ day went, I've been following up on all the notes you took last night. Thank you for asking."

Haruka coughed.

"Uh, yes… I was about to get to that…"

"Why was your phone was off?" Michiru asked suddenly.

The blonde sighed.

"Well, I had a lot on my mind what with these new enemiesand everything that's happened all of a sudden. I wasn't really in the mood to take any calls."

"I see." Michiru looked down at the laptop. "Well, in other news, I find that I'm suddenly expected to perform at a concert with a pop duet that I've never heard of before this Thursday. The 'final' rehearsal was supposed to be tomorrow, but my agent got them to postpone it to Wednesday because of my injury."

She glanced up at the blonde.

"Funnily enough, they're signed under Fuji."

Haruka did a double take.

"Ranma's company?"

Michiru nodded as the blonde stepped out of her shoes and kicked them until they were neatly positioned on the side of the genkan next to a pair of sneakers and Michiru's own shoes, then put on some slippers and started walking towards their dining table, where she set her book bag down.

"Fuji has a record label? Since when? I thought they only made cameras and related equipment."

"That was a different company, back in our world. This one has a different history."

Haruka rolled her eyes at the other teen as she opened her bag and started rummaging through it.

"Great. What's next, Nintendo makes H-games?"

"No, but they're a subsidiary of Fuji now. Speaking of which, they're your sponsors. So you may want to look into them a bit."

Haruka gave her a blank stare.

"You don't say." She returned her gaze to the bag, and frowned as she failed to find what she was looking for. "Huh... have you seen my day planner?"

"As a matter of fact, I have. And I noticed you've got a race scheduled tonight."

Haruka slowly turned around and gave her a deadpan stare.

"What."

The aquamarine haired teen giggled.

"It's with an American named Dominic Toretto, in the underground circuit."

Haruka raised an eyebrow.

"An American, eh? Hmm… should be fun, if nothing else."

"You're supposed to be there in thirty minutes."

The Senshi of Uranus gave her a mute stare.

"_Please _tell me you are joking."

Michiru reached down to the seat beside her and held up the day planner in question with a playful shake of her head, and the blonde walked over to it and scanned it over quickly. Sure enough – in her own handwriting no less – the details were listed, just as Michiru had said.

She immediately turned around and ran for the door.

"I'll be back in a few hours!" She called out, opening it and slamming it behind her.

Michiru giggled and set the day planner down, then went back to typing at the computer.

The door suddenly slammed back open and Haruka stepped back in, fumbling to put her sneakers on. After a moment of failure, she kicked her slippers off and then tried again, this time with more success.

"Hey babe, where is-"

"Drift King's Mountain."

"Okay, thanks," The blonde called back as she quickly stepped back out the door and slammed it shut once more.

A few seconds later the door opened again and the blonde's head popped back in.

"Where-"

"I sent you a text with directions, dear. You really should leave your phone on."

Haruka blinked, then sighed.

"Yeah, alright. See you later!"

And then the door shut once more, and Michiru chuckled as she shook her head and returned to her work.


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you all for your support! I was quite surprised. I hope that this next chapter doesn't disappoint.

As always, if you find any glaring mistakes, inconsistencies, or details that don't quite add up, please let me know.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

"Be quick about it, would you? The owner was nice enough to let us use it even though we're not customers," Mousse said, opening the door to the men's room. "If you can't find your way out of the stall, just give a shout. I'll be _right_ here." He said. "Oh, and… you don't _really_ need your pack with you in _here_ do you?"

Ryouga sighed and adjusted the traveling pack on his shoulders. The convenience store's actual customers were poorly hiding the fact that they were staring at and muttering about the two teens, and he was sure it was because one of them looked like he was about to go camping in a bathroom.

"I don't like being separated from it," He said. "You understand, don't you?"

The other teen gave him a small, pitying nod.

"I… suppose," He said.

"Thanks…" Ryouga grumbled, before walking inside the bathroom. The door shut behind him, and he rolled his eyes.

Like _hell_ was he going to sit on that bench all day and wait for that withered old bat to lead him around. He needed to find Ranma _now_, and then figure out what they were going to do about this whole mess.

He quickly surveyed the restroom, and then walked over to the wall opposite the door.

"_Bakusai Tenketsu!_"

After the ensuing explosion, the door slammed open and Mousse rushed in.

"_Hibiki!_ Are you under attack?!" He quickly spotted the hole in the wall leading outside and dashed out through it, into a dirty alleyway, looking around for the escapee. "Oh, _for the __**love**__ of_…"

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-  
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Chapter 5

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-  
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Ranma stepped into her room, freshly bathed and clad in Teriha's flannel pajamas. She only wore them in the few seconds after taking a bath, since that Kajiwara woman would die before allowing her to wear a simple T-shirt and boxers (especially borrowed ones) and she was quick to discard them (and the silk panties and bra she wore underneath) the instant she entered her room.

"_Ugh._" She shuddered as she let the articles drop to the floor. She walked over to her closet, where she'd hidden her stash of boxers, and opened it.

And then she was crushed by a heavy weight.

"_Oof!_"

"_Augh!_"

Ranma fell back, completely caught off guard by the sudden falling body that landed on top of her. She cried out as she landed on her back, then groaned and blinked her eyes open, looking up at what had fallen on her.

"What the… _Ryouga?!_"

"I'm so sorry, miss! Terribly so…" Ryouga's apology was cut short as he recognized the girl beneath him. Her hair was let down, and actually seemed to shimmer in the room's artificial light, and that'd thrown him off, but there was no mistaking the face. "R…_Ranma!?_" Suddenly his expression changed to one of triumph. "I've done it! I've _found you!_ _On the __**first day**__, no less!_"

As tears of happiness began welling up in the not so Lost Boy's eyes, Ranma favored him with a half-lidded stare as a bead of sweat began pouring down her head.

"Okay, yeah, so… would you get your hands off my boobs?"

Ryouga's blubbering was cut short as he looked down and saw that his hands were exactly on Ranma's breasts, covering the most sensitive parts from sight.

Suddenly the door slammed open and Mitsukoshi rushed into the room.

"_Young Miss!_ Are you… al…right…"

Ryouga and Ranma both looked up at the man whose face was quickly turning red. After a moment, his expression quickly turned into a snarl.

"_You __**beast!**__ Unhand her __**at**__**once!**_" The man yelled as he charged into the room.

Ryouga quickly jumped off of the downed Ranma, holding his hands up in defense.

"_I-It's not what you think!_" He shouted, before glancing down at Ranma. "You! _Say something!_"

Ranma screamed and covered herself up with her arms.

"Oh, _Mikkon!_ This terrible _pervert_ climbed in through the window! He was trying to take away my _purity!_"

Ryouga's eyes widened and he turned to face the newcomer again. Mitsukoshi narrowed his eyes as his expression took on an icy deadliness.

"_Is that so._" The man asked as the room's temperature seemed to drop very quickly.

Ranma blinked.

"Uhhh…"

Ryouga jumped to avoid a blurred knife-hand aimed for his throat.

"_Whoa!_" He shucked his pack as he scrambled to avoid blindingly fast strike after strike.

"_Thought you could take away Ojou-sama's purity right under my nose, hmm?!_" The man roared. "_Well_ _**think again!**_"

Ranma watched, shocked, as the butler/chauffer engaged her prime rival with bona-fide martial arts, and very quickly overwhelmed the teen with sheer speed.

"Ranma, you _lying little-!_"

"_Be silent, foul __**craven!**__"_ Mitsukoshi roared as he slammed a palm-thrust-uppercut into the boy's chin. It was superbly controlled – rather than get sent flying, Ryouga was gently lifted off of his feet into the air – and the elbow to the chest and chop that followed sent him crashing down to the floor, angled so that the base of his skull hit it first - again, with just enough force that he didn't break the floor.

Ranma found herself staring at Mitsukoshi in mute shock. She'd read in Teriha's diaries that Mitsukoshi knew "karate", though she (Teriha) hadn't been interested in the details. She'd taken that to mean he was your average practitioner. Maybe he had a black belt and practiced a kata or two every day, at the most.

The man before her was a Master class martial artist, moving with the speed and grace of one who lived and _breathed_ martial arts. No different from her father, or even how _she_ had been just a few days back. She could feel his voluminous chi coiled up inside his body, like a snake waiting to strike with deadly, _deadly_ force. The fact that she hadn't noticed it up until he was raining down blows on aconfused Ryouga meant that he was an expert at hiding it, too.

"Uhh, _Mikkon!_ I was joking! He's a friend! _A friend!_"

Mitsukoshi blinked as he looked down at the fallen Lost Boy, who was groaning in pain. Ryouga shook his head as he sat up, somewhat wobbly.

"A…friend?" The man asked, quite confused. "Might I ask, then, young miss, what a male _friend_ was doing in here with you naked… and… his hands…" The man trailed off and he lowered his head. "Young miss… I… suppose you're at that age, but-"

"_**IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!**_"

-x-x-x-

Mitsukoshi stared at Ranma – now wearing her flannel again – and Ryouga, his arms crossed, as they finished their story. Several maids had gathered at the door by then, and were listening in as well, peering in through the crack.

"...And you _truly_ expect me to believe that this young man simply has a sense of direction so bad that he ended up in your room – and your _closet_ for that matter - by pure accident?"

"Yes!" Ranma snapped. "If Ryouga finds _anything_, it's _not_ because he was trying!"

Ryouga sent her a sharp glare, then lowered his gaze.

"I pull through when it really counts…" The teen mumbled.

Mitsukoshi looked down at him.

"Young man, I'm going to have to escort you off the premises," He said. "I hope you understand."

Ranma sighed.

"Look, can he at least set up camp on the front yard or something?" She asked. "I don't want him to disappear for ten weeks again."

The butler raised an eyebrow at her.

"Excuse me?"

"You see that huge pack?" She asked, gesturing Ryouga's massive rucksack, on the ground where Ryouga had dropped it. It was filled to the brim, as always, and his umbrella was strapped to its side. "It's always overstuffed like that because his sense of direction is so bad, he never knows when he'll need it. You'll find nothing but camping gear in there, honest."

The butler narrowed his eyes in suspicion, then approached it.

"May I?" He asked, kneeling over it.

Ranma looked over at Ryouga, who sighed.

"Sure… just… make sure you put everything back the way it was… never know when I'll need it…"

The butler nodded and opened the pack. A quick glance inside and he frowned before scratching his head in confusion.

"Huh… I… see…" He muttered something else, then shook his head and stood up. "I humbly apologize for the misunderstanding then, Young Miss, Hibiki-San. Still, I'm afraid the young gentleman can't be allowed to stay in your room…"

Ranma nodded. That much was obvious; these people thought she was a _girl_, after all.

"So you'll let him camp outside?"

The butler chuckled.

"Heavens, no! We have numerous guest rooms," The man said, standing up. "Your friend can use one of them for the night."

Ryouga blinked.

"Here? In _this_ giant place?" He asked. "Oh, no, I couldn't possibly-"

"You should make sure there's always someone by his door." Ranma said.

"Of course there will be someone there," The man said with a chuckle. "It would be inappropriate for the young man to suddenly find himself in your room again, now _wouldn't it?_" He flashed an icy glare at Ryouga.

"We're not like that, how many times do I have to tell you!?" Ranma growled.

"_Yeah_, blech," Ryouga agreed, making spitting sounds. "How could you even think I'd want to do _those_ things with a disgusting, selfish jerk like hi…uh, _her?_"

Mitsukoshi blinked, while Ranma turned to glare at him.

"Hey, if anyone's _disgusting_, it's you! _**Pig**__**disgusting!**_"

Ryouga growled.

"Why you…" He turned to glare at her. "You wanna go right _now!?_ _**Huh!?**_"

Mitsukoshi chuckled as he watched.

"Yeah, I was just thinking I could use a work out!" Ranma spat. "And _you'd_ make a real nice _punching bag!_"

The lost boy let out a deep, throaty rumble as his eyes took on a dangerous glint.

"_Ranmaaaa_…"

She took a defensive stance and beckoned him.

"Any time, pork rind! Or are you just going to stand there and _squeal!_"

"That's _it!_" Ryouga growled, taking a step towards her.

Suddenly Mitsukoshi appeared between both of them, holding his hands up in a placating gesture.

He laughed.

"I can see you're both good friends indeed," He said. "As a matter of fact, I'm surprised the young miss has a friend this close to her that I wasn't aware of. But I'm going to have to ask that you keep any… _roughhousing_ to a minimum."

Ranma and Ryouga both blinked at that, then Ryouga frowned at him.

"Says the guy who was just beating me up a minute ago," He grumbled.

"I can continue if the young sir would like." Mitsukoshi said with an emotionless stare.

"Bah, maybe later," The teen said, waving it off. "Anyways… um, erm…" He suddenly recalled the situation. "Oh! I uh… I don't mean to intrude or anything," He said. "You don't have to give me any special treatment. I'll be just fine camping outside."

"Nonsense," Mitsukoshi said, his expression lightening once more. "I'm sure you haven't eaten any real food in a while. As a friend of the young miss, you deserve at least a good meal." He said. "I'll have one of the maids go to your room later, just let her know what you want."

Ryouga stuttered as he bowed his head nervously.

"Oh, um… you're too generous…" He said. "I don't know how to thank you!"

Mitsukoshi laughed again.

"It's really not a problem," He said. "Unless the young miss would _insist_ that you camp outside…"

Ranma shrugged.

"Ehh, who cares," she said with a shrug. "But Ryouga, why were you looking for me anyway?"

Ryouga sighed.

"I was hoping you could take me home," He said, looking down at the ground. "I… wanted to know if everything was the same there."

Ranma raised an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah? Well, alright. But it'll have to wait till tomorrow."

He nodded.

"I figured," He said. "Well… that's it, really."

She shrugged.

"Alright, well, I'm gonna let them take care of ya," She said. "Go on, get lost."

He glared at her, but then turned to face Mitsukoshi and bowed deeply.

"Words cannot describe the gratitude I have for your hospitality, sir." He said.

Mitsukoshi chuckled, reaching up and scratching his head.

"Well, it's not really mine, it's the young miss's…"

Ryouga remained bowing towards him.

"Thank you, _sir_. A thousand times, thank you."

Ranma rolled her eyes. As Mitsukoshi ushered the boy out of the room, he turned to look at her.

"So, Young Miss… why, exactly… _were_ you naked?"

She stared at him.

"Uh… I uhh…"

"And exactly _why…_" He began, turning and walking towards her closet, "do you have _these?_" He asked, reaching in and retrieving a pair of boxers.

She stared at him, frozen.

"I… uh… well…"

Mitsukoshi looked down at his boxers, before "realization_"_ struck.

"I… _see_…" He said, furrowing his brow. "Well… you _are _a young woman now. I respect that. And, really… I've suspected you've felt this way about me for some time, and while I'm, erm… _flattered_… though it's not… my _business_ what you do in your… _**private time**_… I need these. For wearing. Instead of… whatever it is that you use them for." He cleared his throat as he gathered them up and glanced at her nervously, then started walking towards the door. "Just… let the maids know when you need new sheets, alright? And… let's forget this ever happened, shall we?"

Ranma simply stood there, brow furrowed and mouth half-open as she watched him go. What was this guy think-

And then it clicked, and her face went beet red.

"_**No!**_ _It's not what you think!_" She shouted. "Ryouga must have done that!"

"Of course, Of course." The man said with a quick nod. "I'll see to it that he… knows not to do such things in the future."

Ranma grit her teeth as he quickly stepped out and closed the door behind him.

She cursed. _Loud_.

That had gone about as badly as it possibly could have. And now she was stuck wearing _panties._

-x-_**Usagi**_-x-

Usagi sighed as she lay in her bed. The light was off, and Luna and Chibi-Usa were both fast asleep. She could hear Chibi-Usa's faint snoring, and the occasional murmur. Usagi smiled; If she listened long enough, the pink haired girl would occasionally talk in her sleep, either calling for one of her parents, or the Senshi, and sometimes the names of people she assumed were friends. It was really quite… _heartwarming, _to have evidence – indeed, the result of – her loving marriage with Mamoru, come back from the future and share space with her. It was reassuring that the future had good things in store for her and her friends. This time around, of course, she planned to be ready for Prince Diamond and Wiseman or whoever else threatened Neo Crystal Tokyo. She would protect everyone it was in her power to do so for.

Her smile faded away. Right now, though, she was faced with a tough decision regarding the present.

At first it had looked like an easy one. Sacrifice the free will of two people in exchange for the safety of an entire city? Even as little as Usagi paid attention in school, she'd heard the phrase "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few" enough to know that sacrifices had to be made sometimes. But where would she draw the line? Was it okay to brainwash someone for some things and not others? If so, at what point did it become _not _okay?

What was to stop her from doing it to other people if she could do it to _her own parents_? Once she crossed the line, there would be no going back. No amount of justifications could right a wrong, and even if it had been with the best possible outcome in mind, the guilt and hypocrisy would weigh heavily on her.

She buried her face in her pillow and moaned, careful not to wake the other two.

'_This is so __**hard**__. Why do __**I**__ have to do it? I'm just a kid for crying out loud!'_

Most of the time she just wished there was someone else who would tell _her _what to do. It would be so much easier to just follow someone else's orders and not have to think about it. But she knew she couldn't do that. If someone told her to do something she felt was wrong, she wouldn't.

She rolled over in her bed and stared at her ceiling. Right and wrong weren't nearly as straightforward as manga and anime made it seem. It seemed like the only choices available had some of both to them.

_There's always an alternative. Always._

The words echoed in her head suddenly, as she recalled the conversation from two days before. On that topic she had agreed, and fervently. And if there was always an alternative to killing people, then there was an alternative to brainwashing her parents, too. She just had to _look_ for it.

'_Well, it looks like I've got my decision on that._'

She wouldn't brainwash her parents into letting her stay. It was just _wrong_. And she couldn't call herself a defender of love and justice if she was committing such brazen injustices as _mind control _in her own home. That was that. So that meant she now had to figure out just what the _alternative_ was.

"_Mama_… _stop_ that… you're gonna… shave me _bald_…"

Usagi giggled.

Most importantly, she had to set an example for all the good children in the world, her daughter included.

-x-_**Ranma**_-x-

The next morning, Ranma climbed into her bedroom window. She was once again wearing her iconic pigtail, along with the sports bra and yoga pants combo, with the addition of a white towel hanging over her shoulder; the former had been washed by the maids the previous day. The sun was just barely rising over the horizon, but she already had a fresh sheen of sweat clinging to her body. Even without Akane and the old man to wake her up all the time, her biological clock had been conditioned to wake her up at the same time every day in anticipation of their treachery.

Treachery she was honestly starting to miss. This Juuban place had its share of trouble, but she just _knew_ she was going to soften up here. Especially with the maids and butler.

Even as she toweled herself off, though, there was a knock on the door to her room.

"Young Miss?" There was a second knock. "Young Miss, it's time to wake up. You have to get ready for school."

She chuckled.

"I'm _up_, Mikkon!_"_ She called back.

There was a momentary pause.

"You're… up already?"

She walked over to the door and opened it, and found herself staring at a rather perplexed looking Mitsukoshi. He blinked several times, then looked down at her in the dim morning light.

"I… see," He said, regaining his composure. "You've been… working out?"

She nodded.

"A little a' this, a little a' that," She said. "Is my bath ready?"

He blinked.

"Kajiwara-san is preparing it as we speak," He said. "Would you like some water in the meanwhile?"

She nodded.

"That'd be great," She said. "Thanks."

He made a sweeping bow with one arm behind his back.

"I live to serve, young miss." He stood back up. "Oh, one more thing. I regret to inform you that your friend, Hibiki-san, disappeared overnight."

She groaned and rolled her eyes.

"Does he at least have his pack?"

Mitsukoshi shook his head.

"Unfortunately he seems to have left it behind."

She sighed.

"Well that sucks. Poor bastard."

The butler frowned.

"Young Miss, I notice your language has become quite vulgar of late." He remarked.

She blinked, then held up a hand to her mouth and laughed.

"A-aha, o-oh, really? Uh… perhaps that uncouth rogue's churlish manner hath rubbed off on me more than I was aware! _Oho, oooohohohoho!_" She finished with her best impression of Kodachi.

Mitsukoshi's brow crinkled in confusion, and he shook his head before turning and walking off.

"Well, as long as you don't let it become a habit…" He muttered. "I'll bring your water to the washroom. Please go wait with Kajiwara-san. We'd hate to be late again like on your first day, especially after yesterday's absence."

She nodded sharply, even though his back was turned.

"Verily! Duly noted, good sir! _Ohohoho!_"

Mitsukoshi glanced back at her in confusion again, before shrugging and continuing on his way.

-x-x-x-

Later, Ranma sat in the back of the limo, staring at her phone as Mitsukoshi navigated the streets. She'd _finally _figured out how check her inbox, and there was a backlog of messages - both text and voicemail – from people she didn't know. Some of them she recognized from the diaries, but the others were total and complete mysteries to her.

'_Oh boy…_' She scrolled down the list of text messages and sighed. '_This can only mean trouble.'_

"Young Miss…"

She looked up at the front, glad for the distraction.

"Tally ho, what what?"

He frowned.

"How long are you going to keep up that strange manner of speech?"

She chuckled nervously.

"Whatever dost thou mean… _Mitsukoshi_-_**san**__?_" She asked in as airily a manner possible.

"Okay, _okay_," He grumbled. "If you're going to be _sarcastic_, then just go back to talking like a crude jackanapes."

She sighed with relief. She'd been honestly trying, but that was the best result she could hope for.

"Whew. Was _killin'_ myself there, Mikkon."

He shook his head.

"More importantly, have you been practicing martial arts in secret?"

She blinked.

"Oh! Uh, yes! I… uh…" She trailed off as she tried to think of a good excuse for her sudden musculature. It came to her all of a sudden. "Yeah! See, I found some really neat self-help guides on the net, and… well… I was a little embarrassed because of my figure… so I practiced where no one would see me…" She said. "Why, _Mikkon? _Did you notice how sexy I became all of a sudden?"

The butler/chauffer/master martial artist coughed.

"Erm, well, Young Miss is as beautiful as always, but I was just wondering…" He trailed off. "Wait, did you say self-help videos?" He frowned. "That's not the sort of thing you should do by yourself. You could end up learning the techniques incorrectly without a proper sensei to tell you whether or not you're doing it wrong."

"Oh? Well then, maybe we could spar sometime? I'll show you what I've learned, and you can tell me if it's wrong."

He smiled, which she saw in the rearview mirror.

"I'd be delighted to help."

When they arrived at the school, she stepped out of the limo on her own, rather than waiting for him to walk around and open the door for her. She slung her backpack over her shoulder and turned to look at him; he had already stepped out of the car and looked a bit surprised.

"Thanks for the ride, Mikkon," she said with a wave. "Lookin' forward to that spar later!"

He nodded.

"I'll be back here for you when school is out." He said.

She nodded back, and he climbed into the car as she turned around and started walking towards the school building.

"Yoo! Ranma!"

Ranma turned to look at the voice. It took a minute to see its owner heading towards her through the crowd of students, but there Urameshi Yusuke was, waving at her. She made her way through the crowd towards him.

"Yo yourself," She said. "What's up? I didn't figure you for the '_goes-to-school'_ type."

He snorted.

"I'm not. I just wanted to see if you were interested in punching some youkai assholes out tonight." He explained.

She raised an eyebrow.

"You got yourself some action, eh?" She asked, her expression turning to a devious grin. "Count me _definitely_ _**in.**_ They better be some tough bastards though," She grumbled.

He shrugged.

"I 'onno, but I do know they need stopped _bad_."

She narrowed her eyes.

"What's the deal?"

He sighed and looked around, then led her over to a secluded area by some plants.

"Look, you're not gonna like this one bit, but these youkai, right, they've taken over a slaughterhouse, and they're churning out _human meat_."

She scowled.

"No shit?" She asked. "Why aren't we taking care of these assholes _now_?"

He shrugged.

"I 'onno, didn't ask. Probably shoulda." He frowned. "Well, I don't know where it is, and the lady who's taking me along said to meet her at midnight."

She nodded.

"Where? And should we bring those other girls along?"

"The alleyway besides the Azabu Police Station," he said. "And do you really wanna split the fun up with that many people?"

She blinked, then shrugged.

"Good point."

He nodded.

"Alright, then I'll be expecting ya," He said. He started walking backwards and gave her a two-fingered salute. "See ya!"

She gave him a lazy wave, then turned and started walking towards her classroom.

-x-_**Yusuke**_-x-

Yusuke pushed open the door to the disciplinarian's office and walked in with his characteristic swagger, each hand stuffed in a pants pocket.

The woman – Mei'ou Setsuna if the name tag on her desk was accurate – looked up at him from her work, thoroughly unamused.

"Hello, Yusuke. Back in school, I see?"

"Not really," He said. "I need to know if there's a kid who goes here, her name's Hasebe Misaki. Freshman year maybe?"

She raised an eyebrow at him.

"And just why should I tell you that?"

"None of your business," He said with a frown. When she rolled her eyes, he sighed and shook his head. "Just… just tell me, okay? It's personal."

She leaned back in her chair and looked up at him.

"I'm not in the habit of giving out my students' personal information, even if for _personal_ reasons," She said. "And I'm not telling you anything until you explain to me just why it is a straight A student drops out of school so totally and completely, and very suddenly at that."

He blinked at her.

"Straight As?" He parroted.

She nodded.

"You were number one in your year for two years straight," She said. "Here you are, two months from graduating and getting a free ride into Tokyo Uni, and you just _stop showing up?_"

He blinked again.

'_Holy hot damn.'_

"Uh well, I can explain…" He said. "You see… it's…" And as his mind wandered, trying to pull a reason for his _sudden shift in behavior_ out of his ass, it all came together, piece by piece.

He forced a serious look onto his face. Roughly half of what he was about to say was going to be bullshit.

"Meiou-san… I'm not sure where to begin. This… this isn't going to be an easy story."

She stared at him for a bit, then motioned for him to sit down and sat up in her chair.

"I've got time, Urameshi-san."

He blinked – then realized she had access to the school's registry and shrugged before closing the door and sitting down.

"You see… it's like this. A few days ago – the first day I missed, actually… while walking to school, I came across a gang of _unruly_ _thugs_ beating on a poor, _innocent_ girl. Of course, I couldn't just walk by it – I mean come on, who _could_?" He said the last bit with a questioning hand gesture, and she nodded. "So anyway, I was caught in a… con…_conundrum? _Yes, that. Anyways, I really _wanted_ to get to school… but… well, I couldn't just leave her. I didn't really know what to do, and while I was standing there like an idiot, they just kept wailing on her. My body moved before my brain could come up with a conclusion."

She stared at him.

"You intervened." She said.

He nodded. That sounded like a good word, may as well use it too.

"_I intervened._"

He took a deep breath.

"I don't regret it, even now. I know I'd make the same choice every time, even if faced with that same situation. I'm no karateka or anything, but… I live in a tough neighborhood. I know how to defend myself."

She nodded her understanding. If she'd read his profile, she would have known where he lived, too.

"It didn't end well." He said, sitting back. "Of course it didn't – it was me against what, five, six guys with chains and brass knuckles?" He chuckled and shook his head. "Anyways, I bet you heard the ambulances back then, right? In the middle of the day?"

Her eyes widened and she gasped.

"That was _you?"_

He nodded.

"The hospital let me go a couple of nights ago. I've… been better, but they said I should be able to manage now. You know how they need their space. Anyways, it's been a slow recovery. I was a bit cranky with you yesterday, I know, but… well… I was having a bad week."

She nodded her understanding.

"The girl they were beating up," He began. "I met her a while back. She seemed like a good kid. And I've seen her around my 'hood too. So I got to know her a little."

She narrowed her eyes.

"Hasebe Misaki."

He nodded and she frowned and looked down at her desk.

"Is that right…" She murmured.

"I have a feeling she's deep in something pretty bad," He said. "I don't know where she lives, and I was hoping to… _speak_ with her parents about it."

After a moment she looked up at him again.

"If you were in the hospital, why didn't they contact us?"

He coughed.

"Um, well, you see, I didn't have my school ID on me at the time, and no one else lives with me or anything… and I didn't _think_ to have them contact you because I was just so out of it," He said.

She stared at him.

"Is there a doctor that _I_ can contact to confirm your story?" She asked.

"Eh? Oh, well, I didn't really bother remembering their names," He said. "But I'm sure they have me in their records or something…"

"I see. Well, I'm glad that you're doing better, and I appreciate your concern for your fellow students, but I'm afraid that pursuing this matter with Hasebe-san is not up to you. As outstanding a man and model student you are, if you were to get involved again, I'm afraid it would only end up with another trip to the hospital… possibly worse."

He grit his teeth.

'_Damn it!_'

"However, I will follow up on this information. You have my sincere thanks, Urameshi-san. If necessary, I will involve the police."

"Y-yeah… no _problem_." He grunted.

This was not going how he'd planned.

"Are you well enough to attend class?" She asked, looking up at him.

This was _definitely_ not going how he'd planned.

He forced out a cough.

"Uh, actually, my ribs are killin' me," He said with a pained wince. "I'll, uhh, need a few more days to… recuperate."

She nodded.

"Well then, I'll let your teachers know." She said. "I'll get in contact with the hospital so we can get an official statement… it was the local general hospital, right?"

He grit his teeth, but nodded.

"Yeah. I'll uh, get going then." He said, standing up. And then he turned and walked out of her office, her eyes lingering on him until he closed the door.

-x-_**Setsuna**_-x-

Setsuna stared at Hasebe Misaki's profile on her computer with a furrowed brow and a hand on her chin. Roughly half of what the young man had said had been bullshit – which felt rather incongruous with his profile – but she had a feeling that he'd been forthright with regards to Hasebe Misaki.

And thus it was an hour after her meeting with him that the girl in question walked into that same office.

Setsuna took in the girl's appearance as she stood there at the door. She had shoulder-length pink hair, but it wasn't styled or even groomed very well; as a matter of fact, the girl seemed to go out of her way to look plain. Her hair was cut unevenly in some places and had visible tangles and in it, and her clothes, while clean, were ruffled and worn looking. Despite this, she had an unearthly natural beauty; her face and body were perfectly proportioned, her pale skin was flawless, and she looked to be the ideal weight for her height (which couldn't have been more than one hundred and sixty-five centimeters) and slim build. Her eyes were lavender, and held an obvious nervousness – one that wasn't uncommon for any student called into her office.

The Senshi of Pluto narrowed her eyes. The girl's beauty was _indeed_ unearthly – even out of her Senshi form she could sense the passive, spell-like _glamour_ effect on her. Though she already had what many would have called a perfect body, the glamour would keep eyes glued to her, perhaps even instilling a desire to see… _more_ of her perfect body. She had seen this several times before, in her many years of service to the Moon Kingdom.

The girl was a Cambion.

"U-um, did you need to see me?" She asked. Her voice, even tinged with uneasiness, had a mellifluous quality to it.

"Yes, Hasebe-san," She said. "Please, sit down."

The girl did as she was told.

"Hasebe-san, how are you?" She asked. "Does the day find you well?"

Misaki smiled pleasantly and reached up to brush some stray strands of hair out of her eyes. Though the smile would have seemed genuine to the common observer, Sailor Pluto's millennia of experience wasn't fooled in the slightest.

"I'm just fine," She said. "I've been better, but it's more or less good."

"I see." Setsuna said with a nod and a smile of her own. "That's good. I can only hope it continues to be so."

Misaki inclined her head at her.

"And how are you, sensei? The delinquents must keep you busy, hmm?"

Setsuna chuckled. She was sociable enough, and it didn't feel like an act.

"Yes, they make their fair share of trouble." She folded her hands on her desk. "Anyways, as you might have imagined, this was not a social call, Hasebe-san."

The teenager bit her lip.

"Um, yes," She said. "Have I done something wrong, sensei?"

Setsuna nodded.

"Unfortunately." She stared the younger girl in the eye. "Our database generates a list of students with consecutive tardies and absences. Hasebe-san, your name is on that list." It wasn't a lie.

The girl winced.

"A-ah… I see…"

"At this point, the next step would be a mandatory home visit."

The girl reacted slightly, only a minute twitch in the face and a slight creasing of the brow.

"However, I would be willing to hear your explanation, as to why you were late to or missed school on the following days this last month…" she said as she turned to look at her computer screen and began reading some of them off. After about ten seconds, she stopped. "As you can see the list is rather extensive." She returned her attention to Misaki and waited.

"A-ah… yes, well…" She trailed off. "I… erm… well, we have a family business… and I… work there…" She immediately closed her eyes and mouthed a curse. "I'm sorry, that's wrong. Actually… I was just out because… I… I just… can't find the motivation to go to class anymore…" She chuckled miserably despite herself, then looked up with pleading eyes. "Please, don't tell my father! I swear I'll come more often! Every day, even!"

Setsuna raised her eyebrows.

"Hasebe-san, I'm sorry, but these policies are in place to help our students succeed…" she trailed off, noticing something on the girl's face.

Misaki nervously shifted under her gaze. Ever so subtly did the movement cause some more of the fringes of her hair to drop down and cover that same part of her face.

"You've got a black eye." Setsuna said with a frown. It was covered up with a bit of makeup – and well at that – but she could still see it.

Misaki winced.

"What happened? If you've been fighting on school grounds, I'll have to inform your parents. We may have to take further disciplinary measures as well."

Misaki looked up at the woman and stuttered for a bit.

"I-I… I… I walked into a pole. While texting some friends."

Setsuna stared at her.

"Hasebe-san. I want you to know that you can be completely honest with me." She said. "If you're having trouble with bullies, then tell me now, and I will take whatever steps I can to ensure it doesn't happen again. You don't have to endure this alone."

The teen shook her head.

"You've got to believe me, I haven't gotten into any fights." she said desperately. "I don't like violence, ma'am. I just want to come to school and do well like everyone else."

Setsuna nodded.

"Of course." She closed her eyes for a brief moment, then opened them again. "Hasebe-san, I'll be scheduling a meeting with your father for some time this week. Normally it would be done by your homeroom teacher, but I think I shall personally conduct this visit."

"No, please-"

"That is all, Hasebe-san." She said with a neutral expression. "I want you to go see the nurse, and tell him about your eye. And any other… accident injuries you may have."

"Wait," The teen said. "My… my father is on an extended business trip." She explained. "He… couldn't possibly meet with you."

Setsuna remained neutral. Her father's information was all that her profile had.

"Is there any way I could get into contact with your mother, or another guardian?"

The pink haired girl winced and looked down.

"I… no, I don't have anyone else."

Setsuna stared at her for a moment.

"Then I'll conduct my business with your father over the telephone. Do you live alone right now?"

She shook her head.

"I live with my father, but he's always busy with work."

Setsuna nodded.

"I see. Then I'll have to work myself into his schedule. Off to the nurse with you, now."

"Yes, sensei…"

Setsuna watched her leave, then turned to look at the girl's profile on her computer screen.

'_If they had weapons like Urameshi said, it's possible she's gotten on the wrong side of some delinquents, possibly worse.'_ She narrowed her eyes. '_But that doesn't explain the absences. Hmm…'_

-x-_**Usagi**_-x-

When lunch time came, Chibi-Usa walked into Setsuna's office with a big smile on her face.

"Heya Puu!"

Setsuna looked up at her and the smile melted away.

"What happened?" The time-travelling Senshi asked. "Trouble?"

Setsuna shook her head.

"Nothing you need to be concerned with. Just some school matters." She chuckled. "For a part-timer, I put in a lot of work."

Chibi-Usa shrugged and sat down in the chair before the woman's desk.

"Expelled anyone today?" The teen asked, leaning on the desk.

Setsuna snorted.

"I can't just hand out expulsions. Unless it's a really bad case." she said. "And well enough. I've a few trouble students who are giving me a headache, but other than that, fine."

"Oh?" The pink haired girl asked. "Are you holding up alright?"

Setsuna nodded and smiled.

"I'll be fine. Thank you for the concern." She shook her head. "Did you know this country's reputation for bullies was as bad as America's?"

Chibi-Usa blinked.

"Really?"

Setsuna nodded.

"Worse in some ways, actually. _Organized gangs_ of _bullies_ dedicated themselves to tormenting their peers. They could number in the double digits. _High_ double digits. Incidents often went unreported, and sometimes even when they were, it was ignored or swept under the rug. It was… I suppose _is_, since we're here now, one of the reasons for the high suicide rate, even amongst middle schoolers."

Chibi-Usa let her shock show openly.

"What? Why haven't I _heard_ about this?"

Setsuna shrugged.

"It was probably caught up in the tide of world altering changes that follow the current era."

Chibi-Usa shook her head.

"Well that sucks. Thanks for the history lesson, anyway."

Setsuna leaned back in her chair.

"I'm guessing you didn't just come here to see me, though."

Chibi-Usa sat down in the chair.

"Yep, well, see, some stuff happened… You remember when we took out that giant kaiju?"

Setsuna nodded.

"I didn't hear the news until it was already over," She said with a frown.

Chibi-Usa blinked.

"What?"

Setsuna sighed.

"It's complicated, but my methods for coming across that sort of information are… limited at the moment."

Chibi-Usa stared at her for a bit, then slowly nodded.

"Uh, okay. Well… we kind of need you to show up at the next group talk."

Setsuna raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

Chibi-Usa sighed.

"Puu, have you noticed something strange recently? Within the last five days maybe?"

Setsuna raised an eyebrow.

"You mean the shifting of timelines? Yes, Small Lady. I'm not daft, you know."

Chibi-Usa blinked.

"Oh. Right… um, that's _bad_, right?"

Setsuna nodded.

"It was unforeseen," she said. "So yes, it's quite bad."

Chibi-Usa nodded.

"Well, mo… Sailor Moon and the others wanted you to show up so you could maybe explain why it happened, and why it's not already reversed."

Setsuna closed her eyes and sighed into a hand.

"Remember those complicated reasons?"

Usagi blinked.

"…Yes?"

Setsuna sighed.

"Well, long story short; I'm on suspension."

Usagi blinked.

"Suspension?"

The Senshi of Time nodded.

"But… What? Did mom-"

"Not by your mother's decision. By Chronos's."

Chibi-Usa blinked.

"Chronos… as in… _the_ Chronos?"

"Yes. _The_ Chronos."

The pink haired girl leaned back in her seat as she let that sink in.

"Well… that's… not good…"

-x-_**Kenichi**_-x-

Kenichi poked at his lunch. He grabbed a riceball out of the box and half-heartedly took a bite. The previous night had been very awkward, after that surprise revelation from _konakona_. He'd quickly feigned his parents needing him for something or other, saying it was serious, before logging off, but he'd forgotten that she had his phone number and she'd already sent him several texts since then.

He really had no idea how to deal with her.

After their conversation he'd figured out how to check "his" message history and did just that, to find that… this world's Kenichi and _konakona_ were… close. Very close. His face heated up as he recalled that he'd accidentally seen some… _pictures_ that kids their ages _really_ _shouldn't have been trading_, as far as he was concerned. There was even talk about moving in together after high school. They mostly spoke in internet slang, of course, but it was obvious they were deeply in love.

So now, he had to decide to either play along, and trick this girl somehow (which was probably going to be impossible)… or tell her the truth (which was impossible to prove).

On top of that he had to _retrain_… figure out where Sieg, Freya, Ukita, Takeda, and the others were - and his Senseis for that matter - and deal with whatever other surprises this world had waiting for him. All while handling school. It was quickly piling up and he had no idea _how_ he was going to tackle it, or even in what order. If only he could get some _help_ on all of this…

It was then that his phone rang, only once. He instinctively reached into his bag and pulled it out.

There was a text message from _konakona._

He sighed heavily, and almost stuffed it back into his bag, but then decided to at least read it.

_konakona: Are you alright?! Is your family okay?! _

He blinked. For once she'd used proper speech patterns instead of shorthand. She was probably worried since he hadn't gone back to her the night before…

_strongest_in_history: I'm fine, sorry I didn't say anything else_

_konakona: ah, okay_

_konakona: when I heard about the earthquake I got super worried _

Kenichi stared at his phone. _Earthquake?_

_strongest_in_history: What are you talking about? Earthquake?_

_konakona: un, they said it was mostly felt in Juuban, but a slight tremor everywhere else_

_konakona: that's why we didn't feel it up here in Saitama, but you're closer, so I was worried_

He blinked. So she was in Saitama. That wasn't very far at all, actually.

_strongest_in_history: I haven't heard about it yet, sorry_

_konakona: hmm? Haha what are you apologizing for, it's not your fault_

_konakona: though you should pay more attention in news _

He chuckled. If it was a minor earthquake, though, it couldn't have been too import-

_konakona: they said a poorly maintained corporate building was totally destroyed and another one suffered heavy damage when it fell_

_konakona: lots of people died they say_

_konakona: I saw pictures of the streets and it looks like everything got squished by falling debris too_

Kenichi stared at her words for a moment before it finally clicked.

She was talking about _Sunday_. But… there hadn't _been_ an earthquake on Sunday. So… why did she think… no, rather, why was it being _reported_ as one? And why _just_ _now_?

Someone was controlling the _media?_ Was it _Yami?_

But _why_ would _they_ do _that?_

He was overwhelmed with thoughts and questions, but his phone beeped once again.

_konakona: okay well I'm glad you're safe, class starting_

_konakona: byebye!_（*＾＾）＾*） _Chu__！__！_

He winced. He knew at least that that emoticon meant she was 'kissing' him. He had no idea how to respond, so he didn't. Hopefully she'd just assume that meant he didn't want to hold her up. He narrowed his eyes as he put his phone away.

'_Why would Yami do something like that?' _He frowned. He really couldn't see any _possible_ reason for them to do that. So… maybe it _wasn't_ Yami.

But then _who?_

The government? An enemy of one of those other people he'd met the other day?

_Or someone else they had no __**idea**__ about yet?_

Whatever the case, it gave him a bad feeling.

-x-_**Ranma**_-x-

Ranma sighed as she set her bento box back in its place. Lunch by a master chef was always delicious, but she was really starting to miss Kasumi's cooking. That said something about the young woman's skill.

"Okay, I saw her."

She looked up and saw Chibi-Usa walking towards her. Haruka, who was still eating her lunch, looked over at her as well.

"So, can she come?"

Chibi-Usa nodded.

"She said she'll come, but… well, she already told me why things are still as they are."

Both Ranma and Haruka raised eyebrows at that.

"Eh?"

Chibi-Usa sat down in her place behind Ranma.

"I'll let her tell you," The pink haired girl said with a sigh. "It's better to go over it once, when everyone's around."

Haruka nodded.

"Then, it'll have to be today, because Michiru's doctor gave her the okay to do a rehearsal tomorrow this morning, and I don't know how long that will take."

Chibi-Usa nodded.

"I'll grab her when we're ready to leave then. Should Ranma and the others come?"

Ranma looked up on hearing her name.

"No, I think this is something that pertains strictly to us." Haruka said. "No offense, Ranma."

Ranma blinked, then shrugged. Haruka was a good guy – err, _girl _– so she trusted her judgment. If she felt Ranma didn't need to know, then she probably didn't.

"No prob," she said, waving it off.

Suddenly, all three of their cell phones rang, just once. They all shared a look, then retrieved their respective phones from their bags.

There was a text message from Shirahama Kenichi on all three.

_Media is being controlled. Sunday was reported as an earthquake outside of Tokyo. Don't think it's Yami._

They each stared at the message for a long moment before their eyes met once again.

-x-_**Ami**_-x-

Ami stared down at the phone's screen with narrowed eyes. Indeed, it didn't fit the description of Yami that he and the girl had given her before to interfere with something like that. This was the work of someone who had a vested interest in keeping the public from finding out about the kaiju. Of course, there was no way to know how Yami's M.O. had changed since the shift, but she had a feeling it wasn't them.

She reached down to scratch her leg, only to rub her fingers against a cast. She mentally cursed, then looked back down at the message and started typing a reply.

-x-_**Kenichi**_-x-

_Mizuno_Ami: Don't mention them by name. They may have listening software in phone networks that triggers on certain words._

Kenichi winced. How was he supposed to know something like that? He had no idea what people could and couldn't do with computers anymore. For all he knew, they could hack into his computer at home and use it blow his family to smithereens. If monsters and magic were real and martial artists could do the crazy crap that his masters could, it wouldn't surprise him, really. Oh well, with _Yami_, _more_ caution was _always_ better.

Suddenly the bell rang. He looked up; other students were filtering into the room, including Miu. He instinctively waved as she entered the room, but it took her a moment to notice, and her only response was a small smile and wave of her own. She wordlessly sat down behind him and he turned around to say something, but then-

"Alright, everyone, lunch is over," Said a woman dressed in business formal who strolled into the classroom. It was their fourth period teacher.

Kenichi sighed and turned back around, sliding his phone away.

-x-_**Yusuke**_-x-

Yusuke watched, leaning against the wall by the school gate as students poured out through it. Ranma walked by him and jumped into her limo, which took off into the traffic, and he did see one pink head – but it was a girl with twin-tails. He ignored her and waited for the next pinkette to show up – the hair color wasn't exactly common. Though a few girls with dyed hair fooled him, eventually he saw her walk out.

Hasebe Misaki turned towards him as soon as she was out the gate. He looked away, and she walked right past him without noticing. When she was far enough away he started walking after her.

A few others trailed after her as well, so he was able to blend in for the first few blocks. When they started getting closer to his neighborhood, however, they had mostly dispersed and he trailed an entire block behind, using her youki trail to follow when she turned corners. She seemed to have realized that she was being followed, having glanced back a few times, but he always managed to duck behind something when she did.

Finally she stopped and looked around before turning into a familiar alleyway. He ran to catch up as quickly as he could, slowing down to quiet his steps as he neared the alleyway, when he suddenly heard her voice.

"…can't switch schools again! I've only been in this one for a few months!"

There was a pause. He peeked around the corner of the building to see that she was talking into a cellphone. When he saw her head begin to move as she looked up, he quickly moved back and was gone before she could see him.

"But dad…"

He narrowed his eyes.

"Why can't I just _quit?_"

He could hear the man yelling through the phone from as far away as he was, despite the distance.

"But…!"

He waited some more.

"Okay, okay, fine. But I can't be expected to _graduate_ if I have to learn new stuff _every few months_."

There was another pause.

"O-oh. Of course… haha, silly me…" Another pause. "Y-yes, I'll get to work right now…"

There was a beep.

"Hahaha…" He peeked around the corner to see her shaking her head and trembling. "A fuck toy… _a fuck toy?_" She laughed again before squeezing her phone. She made to throw it, but then stopped and hung her head instead, still shaking. "_What does a __**fuck toy**__ need a diploma for_… _hahaha_…"

Yusuke scowled.

"He called you a fuck toy?" He growled as he walked around the corner.

She screamed and looked up at him, holding her arms up in shock.

"_Holy shit!_" Recognition hit her and she frowned. "Don't scare me like that you asshole!"

"Answer the question," He said with a scowl.

She frowned.

"You were listening in on my conversation?!" She demanded.

"I just happened to be walking by," He said. "Did your father really call you a fuck toy?"

She narrowed her eyes.

"It's none of your business. Go home, Yusuke."

He growled.

"Like hell it's not my business!" He snapped. "How the hell am I supposed to ignore this shit?! How!"

She turned around.

"By leaving me alone and going home!" She shouted. She started walking, further into the alleyway. "I mean it! Get out of here! If Seita or the others see you they'll slit your throat!"

He watched with narrowed eyes as she walked away.

"_Don't_ follow me," She said, turning to glare at him.

He shook his head and walked away, shoving his hands in his pockets.

'_To hell with this. If she don't want my help, then she won't get it.'_

-x-_**Kenichi**_-x-

Kenichi shrugged his backpack further on his shoulders with a grunt. It was hard, getting used to the fact that a few books were so _heavy_ again. The trek from school to home, while toting said books, was also a huge drain on his stamina, and left him exhausted before his evening training. And carrying a heavy backpack didn't build muscle properly, the way that Koetsuji-sensei's methods did. In fact, it was more likely to cause back damage.

Speaking of which, he was going to have to _replicate_ those silly inventions somehow…

He sighed as a car passed him by.

'_What should I do about that konakona girl?'_

It probably wouldn't hurt to find out what her real name was. He'd already seen her naked (if by accident), and usually you knew a person's name before you did that. Or so he liked to think, anyway.

In any case, it looked like he wouldn't be able to get away without breaking her heart. They'd known each other for four years in this world, but he couldn't recall having met her in his own even once. He didn't love her; he barely knew anything _about_ her, aside from the fact that she looked pretty athletic for someone who was supposedly on the computer and video games all the time, and her hair was naturally blue (a thought that made him blush). Deceiving her would be cowardly and wrong, and he just couldn't take _advantage_ of someone like that.

The best he could hope for was that she'd buy the _truth._

"Well, well, well… if it ain't _Weak Legs Kenichi!_"

Kenichi sighed again, more heavily this time, and looked up. Ahead of him were three rather delinquent looking high-schoolers.

His eyes widened. One of them was Takeda Ikki.

"Takeda-san!?" He cried out, forgetting himself. "Oh, Takeda-san! I thought I'd never see you again!"

The boxer – at least, he was wearing bandages on his fists, so he was a fighter of some sort – raised an eyebrow, obviously confused. He was wearing a school uniform like Kenichi's, as were the other two thugs. One was stocky and had short brown hair, while the other was more lanky and had short, combed back black hair.

Takeda's confused expression turned into a grin.

"Oh, so you're happy to see us too?" He exchanged looks with the other two delinquents, neither of whom Kenichi recognized. "Of course, of course. Even a weak little slug should be happy to know his place in society!"

They approached him and he suddenly remembered that this… was probably not _his_ Takeda.

The moment they were near, one of the thugs threw a punch. Kenichi avoided it easily, stepping back at the same time.

"Ah-aha… er, no… I think there's been a misunderstanding…" He said, holding up his hands in peace while laughing nervously.

The thugs looked momentarily surprised that he'd dodged at all.

"What," One of them snorted. "You want to give us your money _peacefully?_"

Kenichi laughed.

"Yes, yes, that's rig—_No! _No. I ah, Ahem." He cleared his throat and looked up at them defiantly. "I will not be giving you my money." He didn't have any money to give them in the first place.

The three thugs shared a look, then laughed again, as one.

"Looks like we get ta teach you all about your place in the world again,"

Kenichi frowned as they each sneered and made violent gestures, like pounding their fists in hand.

"I'm sure we can resolve this without resorting to violence…" He said nervously as a bead of sweat poured down his head. Despite his training, big thugs always frightened him. Takeda made the situation awkward, but the other two looked downright scary. And there was the real possibility they could hurt him now.

"So did we, but you refused. Too late now," The stocky thug said, walking towards him.

He threw a sloppy punch, which Kenichi easily dodged, then another, and another. After a few seconds of this, the thug looked down at him in confusion.

"The hell… when did you get so quick…" The thug muttered before throwing another punch.

The young martial artist deflected his attack that time, then took hold of his arm and turned around, throwing the much bigger (and heavier) teen over his shoulder.

He readjusted his backpack and turned to face the other thugs, who were staring at him in shock.

"What… the…" the lanky teen muttered. He scowled. "You little punk!"

He charged at Kenichi, who easily sidestepped his attack and tripped him – using the very same Ba Gua technique that Miu had taught him so long ago. The teen fell straight into his hefty companion, who had been starting to get up, only to fall back down.

"Guys… come on," Kenichi said, a little bit of his confidence returning. "Can't you just let me go? I don't like hurting people."

Takeda chuckled.

"I see, I see. So you went and learned some judo or something." He smirked. "Ain't gonna save ya from _me_, weak-knees."

Kenichi narrowed his eyes at other teen.

Was this Takeda as strong as his? He had a feeling that this one hadn't received training from Shiba, but Takeda had been a formidable boxer even before then. Though the one in this world couldn't have possibly met Koetsuji-sensei and gotten his arm fixed, it was possible his left arm hadn't ever been hurt to begin with.

His suspicions were confirmed when Ikki took up a boxer's stance and began his approach.

Kenichi closed his eyes for a second, then took a deep breath as he drew in his energy, and re-opened them with fierce determination.

"Please, Takeda-san," He tried one last time as he took up a defensive stance of his own. "Is this really what you want to do with your life? Beat up and torment people just because you can?"

Ikki scowled.

"What do _you_ know, you little punk!" The boxer shouted, throwing a punch.

Kenichi easily moved around it and punched the other teen in the solar plexus, earning a surprised gag as the boxer took a step back. When he recovered, he narrowed his eyes at the other teen and snarled.

"I'm going to make you _regret_ that."

Kenichi sighed and moved to take up another stance – and nearly tripped when the two other teens quickly wrapped their arms around each leg and held him in place. He quickly glanced down at them and grit his teeth before raising his gaze to meet Takeda once more. The other teen's fist was already flying at his face, and he ducked to the side to avoid it, but the boxer pulled away before Kenichi could take hold of his arm.

Kenichi saw his fist coming in again as if it were in slow motion. Compared to his masters and all of the fighters in YOMI – and especially his _own_ Takeda Ikki, whom had become one of his better friends and rivals – it _was_ in slow motion.

But Kenichi was even slower.

It crashed into his nose straight on, and an avalanche of pain rushed over him.

One blow was all it took.

He was dazed.

But Takeda didn't stop there. There was another punch, and another, and another, until finally that Illusionary Left Straight came flying in –

Kenichi roared as he snapped to attention and willed both of his arms to move. And move they did, as he brought them both up in a blur and caught the other boy's arm in his hands.

But it didn't even slow Takeda down.

The next thing he knew he was flying through the air, his jaw ringing out in pain. An instant later Kenichi landed hard on the ground. His glasses landed on the sidewalk beside him and cracked.

"Heh heh heh… that'll teach you, you little shit." One of the other thugs growled as they both stood up. "_You don't like hurting people?_ Well we _do!"_

Kenichi struggled to stand, but dizzying amounts of pain throbbed in his head. He could taste blood. His vision was blurry, even more so than it normally was without the glasses.

"T-Takeda-san…" He groaned as he saw their blurred forms approaching him. "This… isn't you… you're better… than this…"

He saw one of the teens pull his foot back for a kick.

"_Shut up!_"

Pain was the last thing he knew before everything went black.

-x-_**Usagi**_-x-

Ami sat up in her bed, looking down at her Mercury computer. All of the Senshi sans Setsuna were gathered in her hospital room herself and Michiru, were all wearing school uniforms. The inner Senshi were all squished onto the sofa, talking amongst themselves, while Luna and Artemis lay/sat in on each arm of the sofa.

"Nice wheels," Haruka said as she sat down on the wheelchair next to Ami's hospital bed. "We should race some time." She popped a quick wheelie before gently dropping back down to the ground.

Ami giggled, while Michiru joined them, sitting in one of the other two chairs beside the bed.

"Now, now, dear… don't get too ahead of yourself. Or you may lose like last night," the aquamarine haired teen said.

Haruka winced.

"I didn't expect an old muscle car like that could drift so well," She said. "Gotta give it to Dom, he knows how to drive."

"Dom?" Ami asked, raising an eyebrow.

Michiru giggled.

"Haruka's new best friend," She said.

Haruka raised an eyebrow.

"What? We just share an interest in cars, that's all," She said.

"So you brought him home and talked about cars – many of which I'd never heard of before - long into the night, despite the fact that you were running on fumes yourself," Michiru scoffed, "because you just _share an interest in cars?_"

"It was men's talk, honey," Haruka said with a shake of the head. "You wouldn't get it. And besides, he's going to help me modify the Ferrari."

Ami and Michiru both shared a small giggle at that.

It was then that Setsuna walked into the room. After a glance around, she shut the door behind herself.

"Hello, everyone." She said.

They all looked over at her, and Usagi jumped up from the sofa.

"Er, hi! Welcome, Pluto-San!" She said. She gestured towards the empty seat next to Michiru. "There's a seat just for you!"

The woman chuckled as she nodded and walked over to sit down.

"Well then, I'll take it."

Usagi nodded.

"Okay!" She cleared her throat and clapped her hands together, and the chatter around the room died at once. "Ahem. Thank you all for coming. This is the first time our entire group has met up like this. I'm sad that it couldn't have been a happier occasion, but all the same it warms my heart to see all of our allies gathered in one place."

"The pleasure is all ours, princess." Setsuna said with an inclination of her head.

Usagi nodded back.

"Thank you, Sailor Pluto. Okay, so…" She glanced at Ami, who mouthed a few words, and then nodded. "Onto our first order of business!"

She turned to look at Sailor Pluto once again.

"Sailor Pluto, I, and I think the rest of us were all under the impression that the Time Gates, which you guard, are the only way to modify history," She said. "But, uh…" She paused for a moment and her eyes rolled up as she tried to recall the words. "Oh, right. Um, _however_, today we… er, _here we are_, in a world where history is not as we remember. Can you offer any… er… _insight,_ on this?"

Setsuna shook her head.

"Unfortunately, your highness, I cannot. I'm not sure if Small Lady has told you or not, but I have been suspended from my post as Guardian of the Gates of Time."

All eyes were on her.

Usagi blinked.

"I'm… I'm sorry, I don't think I heard you properly?"

Setsuna shook her head.

"You did, I'm afraid."

"You're _suspended_?" Rei asked. "But… what? _Why?_"

Haruka and Michiru shared a troubled glance.

"I believe I might know," Michiru began.

They all turned to look at her.

"During that incident with Pharaoh Ninety, the three of us were nearly destroyed in a helicopter explosion. Pluto used a forbidden ability to save our lives."

There was silence for a bit, and then…

"What ability would that be?" Ami asked.

"I stopped time." Setsuna explained.

The inners gasped.

"You can _do_ that?" Asked more than one them.

Setsuna chuckled.

"Yes and no. Normally the punishment for that would have been death, but I suppose Chronos has a soft spot for me." She said.

Usagi gave her a confused blink.

"Chronos?" She repeated. "Who… I'm sorry?"

Both Luna and Artemis let out exasperated sighs, while Ami, Rei, Haruka, and Michiru all had shocked looks on their faces.

"Chronos, as in the _God of Time_." Luna explained. "Sailor Pluto's father."

_All_ of the Senshi (save Chibi-Usa) turned to look at the Senshi of Pluto in stunned silence. She offered them a neutral expression in return.

"G…god? _God!?" _Makoto repeated.

"You're the daughter of a _god!?"_ Minako demanded.

Setsuna closed her eyes.

"It's true that I am his progeny, but our relationship is strictly formal." She said. "At least, it seems that way… but I suppose if that were true, I would be dead." She chuckled. "It's nice to know he cares."

Ami brought her gaze down to her lap, as her mind raced with the implications of that revelation.

"Then… that would make you a sort of… _demigod_, would it not?"

"I suppose you could say that. I am immortal," The woman reminded them.

The Senshi all continued to stew in the realization that Pluto was the offspring of a god, when Luna sat up.

"Something strikes me as being odd, here." She announced. "Neo-Queen Serenity sends her one and only precious daughter to the past, to a period where she knows that the ability of the one person who can ensure - and indeed is necessary for - her safe return, can do _neither?_" She looked over at Usagi. "She may be ditzy, but she's no _fool_. Not when it comes to important things like that."

Usagi frowned.

"I'm _not_… okay so maybe I am a little ditzy…" She muttered the last part. "But yeah! I agree! Something's fishy!"

Artemis looked over at Setsuna.

"Yeah, and, if _you're_ suspended, then _who's_ guarding the Time Gates?"

"I am." Setsuna said.

They all stared at her.

"What?"

"Huh?"

"Suffice it to say multiple instances of me exist in a single timeframe, due to time travel."

"So the you guarding the gates is a different you?" Usagi asked.

"Yes and no. It is the same me, but from a different time."

They stared at her for a bit, before Usagi shook her head.

"I'm not going to pretend to understand how that works…" she muttered. "But, then why hasn't the _other_ you fixed it yet?"

Setsuna shook her head.

"I… do not know. In any event, I am sorry, but I cannot do anything to directly influence our current situation. However, I will assist in any manner possible."

Usagi blinked, but then nodded.

"A-ah… well, that's very reassuring." She said. "Do you at least have an idea who could be behind the shift or merging of timelines?"

Setsuna shook her head again.

"I could list off several possible culprits, but I have no idea which one in particular it would be, and the only quality I have to go on at this point is the sheer amount of power it would take to do something like that. There's just one thing…"

They all waited.

"…All of the possible culprits I can think of, are gods. And higher ranking gods, at that. Chronos being one of them."

The rest of the Senshi all stared at her in silence yet again.

"You're telling me…" Minako began.

"We're up against _a god?!_" Makoto demanded. She immediately winced. "Ow… ah, gotta take some more pain meds…" She mumbled, a hand rising up to her chest.

Setsuna shook her head.

"That it was one of them, I'm not certain. What's happened doesn't fit any of their usual methods. They're just the only ones I can think of powerful enough to do what has been done."

Ami glanced at her.

"So, that it was a being with the amount of power that belongs to a high-ranking god, is certain." She posed.

Setsuna shook her head.

"It could have been someone with a powerful artifact, or rather, a _collection of powerful artifacts_, which gave them_ temporary _godlike power. It may have been a wish, _granted_ by one of the gods. For all we know, it could have been an _accident_."

Rei frowned.

"An accident? If it were an accident, wouldn't the gods have fixed it by now?"

Setsuna shook her head.

"They won't intervene if they don't see a reason to. Gods are generally selfish beings, concerned only with their own affairs and politics," she said. "We cannot count on them to aid us. The Norns are generally a bit more understanding than Chronos, but they won't do anything that interferes with The Almighty's wishes. Or rather, they're not even capable of it."

"The Norns?" Usagi asked.

Setsuna nodded.

"A trio of goddesses," She explained. "While Chronos is a God of Time itself, the Norns are goddesses of Past, Present, and Future, and they might be able to help us. Verthandi – the goddess of present - especially might be sympathetic to our plight, but she can't intervene without orders from above."

Usagi blinked.

"I'm sorry… what? Beru…" The blonde narrowed her eyes as she struggled to pronounce the name in her native tongue. "Belldandy?"

Setsuna chuckled.

"That will suffice, princess. Anyway, as I was saying, we shouldn't count on them helping us. If we can contact one, however, they may be able to share some information."

"Then we'll try to do that," Usagi said. "In the meantime, Sailor Mercury, you had something to add?"

Ami nodded.

"With your highness's permission, I've added visor capability to everyone else's Senshi forms via the Mercury Computer." She said. "Since I won't be able to participate in direct combat for a while, you're all going to have to record the data for me. I'll be analyzing it from a safe location, and providing you all with tactical information, if possible."

Michiru, Haruka and Rei all nodded, but Minako frowned.

"Do we _all_ need to wear visors?" Minako asked with a groan. "I don't think it'll complement my face…"

"Yes, you do," Ami said. "Any one of you could be alone in a battle. We need all the tactical data we can get, and I can only help you if I know what you're up against." She said.

"So," Rei asked, looking up. "Anything we see, you'll see as well?"

Ami nodded.

"As well as any vital data and statistics your visors record on your enemies. It all reaches me instantly," she said. "We can use any of Earth's existing satellites to relay the signal if you're too distant for a direct feed, though I'd like for us to get some of the old Moon Kingdom satellites up and running again. Their… _our_ old technology is several orders of a magnitude faster and more sophisticated than _any_ technology on Earth. I'd be studying its mechanics, but I've been busy wading through all of the logs on enemies we've encountered in this world, and readings gathered since the timeline phenomenon began." Ami sat back in her chair. "Anyways, like I said, I'll be doing what I can from here."

"What? How are we supposed to even _do_ that…" Makoto muttered.

Ami shrugged.

"Well, anyways, thank you." Usagi said. "But don't push yourself, Mercury."

Ami nodded.

"Is that all, then?" Usagi asked.

The Senshi of Mercury shook her head.

"Actually, I had something else to say."

They all turned their attention on her again.

"Remember how we made up a pretend organization to explain our relation with the Senshi?" She asked.

They all nodded, save Setsuna.

"Yeah, Usagi and Chibi-Usa were the _mascots_," Rei snorted.

There were some giggles amongst the inners, while Usagi pouted.

"I was thinking, perhaps we _could_ have an organization of some sort like that. An organization that would assist us in combating these Yami people and youkai alike."

Haruka frowned.

"Assist us how?"

Ami looked over at her.

"Well, for one, intelligence gathering," She said. "I may be smart, but to be completely honest, I have no idea what I'm doing with these Yami people. I've never had to investigate an organization like that," She said. "They cover their tracks well, and there isn't a shred of public information on the net about them. They are, after all, a secret organization."

Haruka shook her head.

"That we aren't even sure _exists_," the blonde said. "I mean, okay, so there's no obvious reason for those people to be lying to us, but it's possible that the Yami they knew is quite different in this new timeline."

Ami frowned.

"They seemed rather certain of their information…" She said.

"Haruka is just pointing out the possibility," Michiru said. "We're not throwing the idea out. After all, better to be prepared for the worst possible case scenario and have nothing happen than to be caught off guard."

"And even if they do exist, that doesn't mean we should start our _own_ secret organization…" Haruka said.

Setsuna raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me? What exactly are you all talking about? An enemy secret organization of some sort?"

They all looked at her.

"Well, we ran into some people who claimed to be from other timelines that had been merged with ours." Haruka began. "There seems to be an evil organization of martial artists and demons who want to… what was it they said, take over the world?"

"Their goals are unclear," Ami said. "But they are allegedly responsible for various crimes, including murder and corruption. We can't afford to not act if they _do_ exist."

"Agreed," Usagi said, taking on a more authoritative air. "I know you're having a hard time trusting people we've only just met, Uranus, but still. My decision on this was made clear earlier. We fight these brigands, whether they aggress us directly or not."

Haruka looked over at her.

"I never said we _shouldn't_ fight them. Just that our first step should be confirming their existence. We should meet up with those people again, and ask if they wouldn't mind sharing more of what they know, as well as their sources."

Usagi nodded.

"Okay… what else?"

"How do we _fight_ them?"

Everyone turned to look at Rei.

"These people are supposed to be master martial artists. Sure our transformation magic toughens us up and makes us stronger, but how do we make up for skill? I'm pretty sure that not all of us are trained," She said. "Do we use our magic against _humans_, then? They'd _die!_"

"We can tone down our weakest spells," Minako said. "It will just take some getting used to. I've done it before."

Makoto nodded.

"I'm sure we'll manage," she said. "We've fought genocidal monsters with the power to wipe out worlds before. A few martial artists shouldn't be a big problem. I'm more worried about the Youkai working with them."

Minako and Rei sounded their agreements.

"Yeah…"

"Mmhmm…"

"I… wouldn't be so sure about that."

They all turned to look at Setsuna.

"There have been men and women capable of fighting toe-to-toe with us without the use of magic before. And that was back in the Silver Millenium, when your previous incarnations were all trained fighters yourselves, at that."

"We were all trained fighters?" Rei asked, creasing her brow.

Setsuna nodded.

"Of course. The Senshi may be an elite royal guard, and made up of royalty, but we are still military – your old incarnations all had officer ranks, at that. You were all trained in the use of various weapons, piloting various vehicles, and empty-handed fighting styles. The only reason I haven't insisted on it in this time period is because Queen Serenity wished you all to have a fulfilling youth this time." She sighed. "If circumstances demand it, however, we may be forced to return to those Spartan ways."

They digested that bit for a while before Usagi continued.

"…Alright then," she finally said. "What do we do when we… _confirm_ whether or not these people exist?"

"That's where my idea comes in," Ami said. "We're all busy people. We have lives outside of being Senshi, as Pluto just mentioned. But this Yami organization doesn't have to deal with that. They are Yami 24/7. Anytime they interact with the rest of the world is likely to be a façade or integral to some sinister plan. We need to be able to keep tabs on them, as well as all of the Youkai attacking people at random. And we can't do that if we're going to school or working. So we get _other_ people to do it for us."

Haruka stared at her.

"And just how are we going to do that? Pay them? How does the selection process work, then? How do we know who we can trust? Can we be sure we're not hiring Yami's own _operatives?_"

Ami sighed.

"I've thought about all of these questions, I assure you." She looked down at the blonde. "And that's why I wanted to bring this up here." She looked around. "Any suggestions?"

They all stared at her.

"You mean you don't have any ideas?" Haruka asked with a sigh.

Ami shrugged.

"Like I said, I'm just a fifteen year old middle school student. Genius or no, there's a limit to my knowledge and experience. I was hoping you three might be able to do something with the idea."

Haruka and Michiru glanced at each other.

"Hmm, well," Setsuna began, earning the group's attention, "Exactly what sort of _organization_ are you going for here? I believe you said something about intelligence gathering?"

Ami blinked.

"Yes, I was thinking something like an intelligence agency, perhaps even a militia made up of people aside from us capable of fighting either martial artists or youkai?"

Setsuna raised an eyebrow.

"That's rather ambitious."

Ami nodded.

"I don't really see how else we _can_ fight them," She said. "They span the entire world, but there's only nine of us. Ten if we count Saturn, but she's… well…"

"Indisposed," Setsuna said with a nod. "However, for _any_ kind of organization, we'd need something to bring in money. None of you girls are quite old or experienced enough to manage such an operation."

"And you?" Usagi asked.

Setsuna hmm'd.

"…It would mean abandoning my current persona, but that's a nonissue. I already know more about physics than every professor on the planet, I'd just have to prove it to get a degree and qualifications. And working part-time as a school counselor won't really be necessary either. I'm actually the only one who could dedicate all of my time to such an undertaking."

Ami blinked.

"So then… you'll do it?"

Setsuna shook her head.

"I haven't said that yet. It would be… grueling work."

Ami frowned.

"So then you won't?"

"I haven't said that either. I'm undecided at the moment," She said. "Calm down. We still need to work out some details."

"Details like what?" Makoto asked.

"Well," Haruka began, "most companies and corporations have one goal; make as much money as possible, through whatever means possible. Our goal is to provide a free public service. It's not exactly economical. We certainly wouldn't be able to pay our bills, and instead of paid employees we'd have to enlist _volunteers_…"

"Indeed." Michiru added with a nod. "The way I see it, there are three main options available to us; approach the government and propose working with them in return for government subsidies and access to their intelligence – and in effect be paid for by the citizenry – or start a privately owned company. Last, we could start a non-profit organization, funded by donations, but as we'll be liable for any property damages caused during our fights, I don't see donors going for that."

"We could include a stipulation in contracts about that," Haruka pointed out. "And for that matter, we'd probably need a legal team…"

Michiru nodded.

"True on both counts. Anyways, there are pros and cons to either approach. For one, if we work for the government, there will be a lot of restrictions on what we can and can't do. We would also have to go where they tell us, when they tell us. We would lose a lot of personal freedom. At the same time, we might be considered law enforcement and gain some official authority and clearance with that. As a private company we would be more autonomous but have less authority, and we'd also have to procure funds on our own. Either… we'd have some kind of front company that does normal things and funds us under the table, or we could offer our protection as a paid-for service. We could draw up protection contracts, act as personal bodyguards or security…"

Most of the Inner Senshi made confused faces as they listened to her spiel.

"It sounds really complicated…" Minako muttered.

"I'm guessing this is why most super heroes keep to the whole secret identity thing." Rei grumbled.

Usagi frowned.

"We aren't going to protect some people and leave others to _fend for themselves_," She said.

Michiru tilted her head.

"Then, we could give priority protection to those who have the money to pay for it, while giving a host of free services to everyone else. Private bodyguards versus a district patrol."

"That doesn't work for me," Usagi said with a shake of her head. "We can't prioritize the protection of the rich over the poor, in any way, at all."

Michiru sighed.

"Well, we certainly won't make money if we continue to protect people for free."

Usagi bit her lip. There was no way to refute that.

"And we need money for this to work at all…" The blonde mumbled with a sigh. "Ugh…"

Ami turned to look at Chibi-Usa.

"You've been awfully silent," She said. "Did you not have anything to add?"

Chibi-Usa shrugged.

"I can't." She said.

The inner Senshi all frowned, then collectively recalled the first day she'd been back, when she said she couldn't interfere with certain events even if she wanted.

"I see." Ami muttered.

"How about this," Haruka began. "We can let other agents… would they be agents? Well, operatives, whatever you want to call them, do the personal body-guard kind of work. We ourselves will be working to protect the world – and her highness - from greater threats, but specially trained individuals contracted through us might be able to provide the protection that certain high profile individuals need, in addition to whatever bodyguards they already have."

"Perhaps we can replace those with our people as well." Michiru pointed out.

Usagi turned to look at them.

"What about you two? You both have money, right?"

Haruka choked.

"You want _us_ to finance this little… -ahem-, this… _project?_"

Usagi stared at her with a neutral expression.

Haruka and Michiru shared a glance.

"Well… we do make more money than the average person," Michiru admitted. "But I don't think it's quite enough for what you're thinking. We could provide capital for a more suitable operation, like one of the ideas we've suggested, perhaps keep things running for a while, but _eventually_ such an organization's bills would run even us into the ground. It would have to be self-sustaining past a certain point."

Usagi smiled.

"That sounds good to me. What's capital again?"

There were a number of groans from around the room, while Setsuna only smiled and shook her head.

"I'll tell you after the meeting," Ami said with a sigh. "Are there any other ideas?" She asked.

Everyone looked around the group, waiting for some answers or suggestions, but none came.

"We can think about it until the next meeting," She said. "Just try to look for some good ideas."

"A little at a time," Setsuna said. "We can draw up a business plan to focus our thoughts, next time. Is that all, then?"

Usagi sighed.

"Actually, no. Everyone… there's something I would like to say."

They all turned to look at her.

"I have decided against using any form of mind control to force my parents into allowing me to stay in Juuban."

While Setsuna remained impassive, there were a few gasps. Haruka was quick to recover.

"Okay, so then, you're going to run away or something?"

Usagi shook her head.

"I will try my best to convince them, but in the end I shall do as I am told," she said. "They are my parents, and it is wrong for me to twist their minds and force them to do something against their will."

She had to admit it was a rather ironic statement, considering what they were doing to _her_.

"But princess," Haruka said with a frown, "What if _lives _depend on it? As they _do_ in this case? Would you turn a blind eye and let people _**die**__,_ _just to protect your own sense of __**right **__and __**wrong?!**_"

Usagi leveled a determined stare at her.

"No... no. I am not a perfect creature, Sailor Uranus. I know there will be a time when I can't come up with the alternative. That won't mean it wasn't there, though. That will just mean that I failed to figure it out in time."

Haruka opened her mouth, but Usagi cut her off.

"_And_ _in that case_, I will do what I must. What _duty_ calls for. And I will accept all responsibility for the results of my actions, whatever they may be."

Michiru favored the younger teen with an apathetic expression.

"Even if it means killing another human being?" She prodded.

Usagi closed her eyes as some familiar words echoed in her head.

_There's always an alternative. Always._

If only she weren't the leader.

She opened her eyes and glared at the aquamarine haired girl, but the other teen remained unfazed.

"For the continued safety of my people, I would do _anything_." She said, earning shocked gasps from the Inner Senshi. "I have destroyed the enemies of the Moon Kingdom once before, and should another rise up against all that is good and right with this world, I will do so again. But until that time comes, I will uphold the virtues that we champion so fiercely. Using a corrupt power simply because we have it makes us no different from the monsters we fight."

She softened her features.

"And while it is true that lives depend on me here, there are evil creatures in Saitama too, and it would be selfish of me to favor the people of Juuban over them. We don't know that the next time that creature we fought on Sunday appears, it will be here in Juuban. If there are gates all around the world, then it could appear across the ocean. That is why, should I be forced to leave, I am entrusting you all with this district. With my home. With my parents, whose love for me is the reason they want to send me away."

She shared a look with Ami.

"And it is also why I have decided, now, that we _must_ use Sailor Mercury's idea."

The senshi all shared looks at that. Ami in particular looked surprise.

"Your highness?" The blunette asked.

"I agree with you, Mercury. We absolutely _must_ form an organization of our own, to rival the evildoers of this world. We are only ten - nine if you count Saturn, but she's not a conventional soldier in any sense. We need allies. Ranma and the others are a good start, but they alone cannot help us protect the entire world."

Several brows raised and all eyes widened in shock, save Setsuna, who listened with a small smile.

"The entire _world?!_"

Usagi nodded.

"Even if Yami doesn't exist in this timeline, there are others who would seek to pervert the world with their greed, through violence and corruption. We cannot sit idly by and ignore mundane evils; there is no suffering that is beneath our notice. The people of Earth may not be of our kingdom, but they are worthy of our protection all the same. That is why we will do everything we can to assist others who carry love and justice on their shoulders." She said with a determined look. "It won't be easy. The world is big, and there will be mistakes made along the way. But I know I can count on you all to pull through where it matters most, and that together, we can realize a better era for all mankind."

The senshi all stared at her.

Haruka and Michiru broke the silence by standing up, kneeling and bowing their heads to the princess of the Moon Kingdom.

"I serve at the whim of your highness." They said in unison.

Haruka grit her teeth.

"Your highness, I… I apologize for my outburst. I was rash. I will not question your judgment again."

Usagi shook her head.

"No, Uranus. You were following your own sense of justice when you spoke your mind just then. I would thank you to do the same in the future. I can't be sure that my decision is right if no one questions it."

Setsuna stood up and joined them as well.

"I've heard all I needed to hear." She said. "I'll do what I can to get things going tonight."

Usagi nodded.

"That would please me greatly. But like Mercury, I ask that you do not overwork yourself, Sailor Pluto."

The Inner Senshi all shared looks, before, sans Ami, they followed suit as well.

"You can count on us, Serenity." Minako said.

"Yeah, we'll do whatever we can." Makoto added.

Usagi smiled.

"As I knew I could. Thank you. All of you." She said. "Please, rise. You'll make Sailor Mercury feel bad."

They all laughed at that – and Ami blushed, as Usagi had been right - but they did as she said.

"My allies. My _dear friends_," Usagi beamed as they stood. "Today begins a new chapter in our lives. Today begins our renewed effort to right the wrongs of this world, and stop those who would selfishly impose their vices on honest men and women who want nothing more than to _live_, and be happy, whether it is with their friends, their lovers…"

She glanced at Chibi-Usa, who wore a knowing smile.

And then Usagi remembered her own parents.

"…or their children."

-x-_**Kenichi**_-x-

Kenichi groaned as he came to. Immediately he was overwhelmed by a strong stench, like that of rotting food and garbage, as well as aching pain all over his body.

The pain he ignored. His senseis had done much worse to him in the past. His adversaries in YOMI had done worse. There were no broken bones, just bruises.

He slowly blinked his eyes open. It was dark and everything was blurry, but he had the distinct impression that he was staring up at the night sky. Light from a distant street lamp made it possible for him to vaguely make out the edges of buildings above him.

His body wasn't flat; his knees were folded, as hanging over a rail, and his back and neck were up against some piece of metal. His muscles felt tense and knotted up from sitting in this awkward position for so long. He groaned again as he tried to move, but that sent pain shooting throughout his body. After a minute of lying there, he tried again, heaving his body up, and surveyed where he was.

He was sitting in a half-full dumpster, in the corner of a dirty alleyway. There was a door leading into the buildings to his left. He exhaled and blinked his eyes a few times.

Without a word or even a thought, he hopped down from the dumpster, landing on his feet. He swayed for a bit, but caught himself on the dumpster wall. His hand stuck to whatever dried up gunk was on it, and he managed to steady himself. Once he was sure of himself, he looked around, and spotted his backpack. It was open and his textbooks were splayed out along the ground, some of their pages ripped apart. He sighed and began to gather them together, shoving what he could into his backpack. When he was sure of everything that was in there, he stood up and slid it onto his shoulders.

After adjusting it, he shambled out of the alleyway, taking care not to trip over the man sleeping on the ground.

-x-x-x-

Kenichi opened the door to his house and walked in. It was all thanks to his familiarity with the neighborhood that he'd been able to walk home in the darkness, without his glasses.

"Kenichi? Is that you?" Came his mother's voice. "You're late! You missed dinner!"

He ignored her and made his way up the stairs to his room.

"Kenichi? Kenichi!"

Kenichi shut the door to his room, dropped his book bag, and stumbled over to the middle of the room, which he had made into his personal training area. It was clear of all debris, from books, to the figurines and videogames that this world's Kenichi was so obsessed with. He assumed a karate stance and closed his eyes, ignoring the smell as best he could.

If he didn't train his body, he'd never be strong enough to prevent a repeat of the day's earlier events.

'_Senseis,'_ He thought, as each of their faces came to mind. Sakaki-shisho's embarrassed laugh… Koetsuji-sensei's polite neutrality… Ba-sensei's perverted grin, Apachai's innocent smile, Shigure's shy gaze, and most of all, the Elder's prideful smirk. '_Give me strength.'_

He punched, ignoring the pain.

"One."

He punched again.

"Two!"

"_Three!_"

"_Four!"_

"_**Five!**__"_

-x-_**Ranma**_-x-

Ranma narrowed her eyes as she peeked around the corner. She was wearing her familiar sports bra and yoga pants combo again.

She was in one of the mansion's extensive hallways, on the second floor. So far, she hadn't seen a single trace of the maid that had been in Mitsugu's office the previous day. She didn't know which maids were assigned to which rooms, and she'd checked every one of them so far, but she couldn't find the woman anywhere. She wasn't amongst any of the maids on duty, either. Ranma had learned the layout of the manse to the point that she could systematically check every room in just over ten minutes now – if she moved as fast as possible - without being noticed, at that.

Every other maid, and Mitsukoshi and other staff for that matter, was accounted for. The mystery woman from before, however…

'_She's hiding from me.'_ The teen thought with a frown. She stepped around the corner and started making her way along the hall. '_Either she's __**not here at all**__, or she's actively avoiding me._' Her search the previous evening had yielded similar results before she'd given up and taken her bath, which was even more suspicious given she'd just seen the woman then.

Ranma cried out in surprise when her foot suddenly slipped and flew up from under her. She landed on her bum and winced, reaching down to rub it.

"_Ow_…" She groaned, before looking down at what she'd slipped on. There was a small plastic card – like a credit card, almost, but without any numbers on it. It was colored gold and the words _Member's Card_ were written on it in several different languages.

She picked it up and stared at it.

"Huh?"

The sound of rapid footsteps caught her attention, and she jumped up to her feet and quickly went under the familiar cloak of the _Umisenken_.

A maid turned around another corner in the corridor and ran, huffing and puffing, towards her. She was a young Caucasian woman, with brown hair tied in a bun, and glasses. She watched as the woman's eyes darted around the hallway.

"Where is it? Where is it?!" The woman spoke perfect Japanese despite her ethnicity, earning her a surprised and prolonged stare from Ranma.

She watched as the woman stopped for a moment to search, then quickly moved on.

"Cripes! If I don't _find_ it, I'm going to have to order my supplies off of _Maho-Net_ until it's replaced!It'll take _weeks_ for anything to get here!"

She blinked as the woman continued running and turned around the corner, out of sight.

Ranma blinked and looked down at the golden card.

'_Couldn't be __**this**__ she's looking for, is it?'_ She asked, tilting her head. '_Naaaaahhhh…'_

With that she shrugged and continued on her way.

-x-_**Usagi**_-x-

Usagi stared down at her plate. It had been the first day since Chibi-Usa's return that her mother had cooked dinner. There was a nabe pot in the center of the table, with cooked sliced beef, various vegetables, udon noodles, and tofu in miso stock, and an empty bowl and a bowl of rice before her. Despite her rumbling stomach, she had yet to even pick up her chopsticks.

"Mom… Dad…" She began.

Her parents glanced at her as they filled their plates with food.

"What's wrong, Usagi-chan? Not hungry?" Ikuko asked.

She sighed.

"Well I'm hungry but… I… I just…" she bit her lip. "I know you two are decided on this Mahora thing, but can't it at least wait until the term is over? I mean, I'm _graduating_ from middle school in two more months. If I go to this new place, I'll have to learn all of their new stuff and it could really hold me back!"

"That was our original plan," Kenji said with a shake of his head. "But Sunday changed everything. If monsters that big can appear out of nowhere, then we have no choice."

"But _dad_-"

"Usagi! Enough. We've gone _over_ this too many times already! We cannot, in good conscience, keep you here while _that_ is going on!" He pointed at the television screen for emphasis.

On the screen, a reporter was standing before a the ruins of a building – it looked like a restaurant that her family had eaten at several times in the past - and talking, presumably about how or why it had, though she couldn't hear it because it was muted. There was a subtitle though, that read, "_Juuban under attack!"_

She winced even as the picture shifted to a convenience store whose bathroom wall had been utterly destroyed.

"But, but it's not like we're not in danger wherever we go," She said. "We could get hit by a car! And there's murderers and terrorists and rapists and stuff out there too!"

"Yes, but there's no chance of a _hundred_ _meter tall_ _monster_ appearing and stepping on you just because you were there!"

"You don't know that! We don't know that Juuban is the only place that has monsters like that!"

"Do you see news like this coming from any other place? Any other city in the entire world? _No!_ These things, these nightmarish creatures, they only attack _Juuban!_"

Usagi's eyes widened.

"No... no they don't."

"Yes they do!"

"No, listen!" Usagi shouted. "You know that the monster attack here was reported as an _earthquake_ outside of Juuban, right?"

Kenji frowned.

"She's right," Chibi-Usa said, pulling their attention to her. "They're saying that the people who think it was a monster were simply suffering from the psychological effects of a traumatic experience."

The magazine editor shook his head.

"Yes, yes, _I know_…" He grumbled.

"So," Usagi continued, "Don't you think they might be doing the same for other places? Reporting strange incidents as something else entirely?"

There was a pause as her parents both considered that. They looked at each other for a moment, then at Usagi again.

"You don't know for a fact that this Mahora place is safer than Juuban," She continued. "It might just as bad! Or _worse!_"

Kenji stared at her for a moment, then nodded to himself.

"The keyword being _might_." He said finally. "Usagi-chan. I'll admit it's possible that other places, Mahora included, are just as dangerous. But we know for a _fact_ that there are monsters rampaging through Juuban without a care in the world. I'll take my chances, and I think your mother agrees."

Ikuko nodded.

"But-"

"_No buts_, Usagi! It's just plain _irresponsible, _and _selfish_ of us, as parents, to keep you here. We have the money to send you to a place that is safer. In that respect, we're a lot more fortunate than the families who are _stuck_ here, forced to endure constant _terror!_ I'm not going to just squander that away and _let you end up getting __**killed!**_"

Usagi cringed away from the force of his yell.

"You are going to Mahora – all of you, and that is final. This discussion is over."

Usagi pouted as tears gathered at her eyes.

"B-but… I don't _wanna_ go to some stupid boarding school! I wanna stay _here_ with _you!"_

Kenji and Ikuko exchanged looks as she sniffled loudly.

"U… Usagi-chan…" Kenji began, but his daughter interrupted him by breaking out into loud sobs.

"_Waaaaahhhhhhh!_"

Usagi jumped up from the table and ran out of the room, towards the stairs.

"_Usagi-chan!_" Ikuko called out. She sighed and shook her head. "Excuse me, dear."

Kenji nodded as his wife stood up and followed after their daughter.

Shingo shrugged as he reached over and grabbed some more sliced beef with his chopsticks.

"You know she's faking it right?" The boy asked, looking at his father.

The man sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"I've known her longer than you have, Shingo." He said. "That wasn't fake. But she's going to have to get over it. It's for the best."

Shingo stared at his father for a bit, then shrugged.

"Well, I've heard rumors that they have wizards at that school, so I'm cool with it."

Kenji frowned.

"Where did you hear those sorts of rumors?"

"Internet," The boy said.

Kenji shook his head and groaned.

"They _better_ just be rumors… that place is _expensive_…"

"Hmm…" Chibi-Usa stood up. "I'm gonna go help auntie."

Kenji nodded.

"Alright…"

-x-

Later that night, Usagi sat on her bed, staring out the window. She'd gone back down to eat dinner earlier (she was very hungry, after all), but afterwards she'd had gone back up to her room. The light was off, and she was alone in the darkness, hugging her legs to her chest.

Could she really abandon Juuban?

She'd made that great speech in front of the other Senshi earlier (with some coaching from Ami before the meeting), but the truth was, she still wasn't sure if her decision was the right choice. Was that what it meant to be a leader? Always doubting yourself, always wondering if you were making a mistake? Would she go to this Mahora place and then learn of her friends and parents' deaths the very next day, all because she wasn't there to save them?

Should she take Haruka's suggestion? Run away from home?

But if she did that, where would she stay? She wouldn't be able to show her face at school, or anywhere in the district for that matter. She'd have to live in hiding, only going out when Sailor Moon was needed. Worst of all, her parents would be even _more_ worried about her, and she didn't want to do that to them.

She closed her eyes.

'_If only there was someone… someone who could tell me what is the right thing to do…'_

The door opened.

"Hey, Odango."

Usagi opened her eyes and sighed.

"You're the _last_ person I need advice from…" She grumbled as Chibi-Usa walked into the room.

"Well _excuse me_ for being _concerned_." Her future daughter scoffed, but joined her on the bed anyway.

"Usagi-chan," Luna began, jumping onto the bed with them. "It's not too late to change your mind. You can still-"

"No," Usagi said with a shake of her head. "I won't be a hypocrite. Not… not if it can be helped."

"But we don't have any other choice," The moon cat prodded. "Juuban needs Sailor Moon… And she needs her family."

Usagi buried her head in her knees.

"I know, Luna. I _know_… but… what gives us the right to punish others if we can't hold ourselves to our own standards?"

Luna shook her head.

"Circumstances _change_ things, Usagi-chan. The greater good is at stake, here."

Usagi sighed and looked up at Chibi-Usa.

"What do you think I should do?"

The other teen blinked.

"Personally?"

The blonde nodded.

"Well… I… I don't know either," She admitted. "But look… Usagi. My mom…" She trailed off and winced as she tried to figure out what to say. "My mom… inspires people with her leadership and her devotion to justice. She's an amazing person, and everyone respects her, and trusts her judgment, no matter what her decision. She's done a bang-up job as far as I know, and though she has, and continues to make mistakes, when she does, she does what she can to make up for it. Like you said earlier, she's not perfect, but… but…" She blushed and looked away. "I love her, and so does everyone else."

Usagi blinked, then smiled and wrapped her arms around the pink haired girl and hugged her.

"Aww, that's so cute! I love you too, Chibi-Usa."

Chibi-Usa sputtered as her blush intensified.

"H-hey look, I'm trying to say something _cool_ here!"

Usagi giggled as she released the other girl.

"What _are _you trying to say, then?"

Chibi-Usa grit her teeth as her eyes darted around the room.

"You're… you're not alone, I guess?" She groaned. "I-I don't know! Just… _stop_ _moping_, okay?!"

Usagi laughed as she hugged her daughter again.

"You're so _sweet!_"

"Sh-shut up! Stop hugging me, fatty!"

Usagi's demeanor did a 180 as her daughter pried her off.

"What?! _Who are you calling __**fat!?**__"_

"_You_, thunder thighs!"

"You little brat! You must want a _spanking!_"

"_Pah!_ A fatty like you couldn't even catch me anyways!"

"Oh _yeah!?_"

Luna watched the familiar scene of two girls running around the room, Usagi swinging a pillow at Chibi-Usa, who was sticking her tongue out and making faces at the blonde. She sighed and lay down, closing her eyes.

'_Queen Serenity… please give me the strength and wisdom to guide your daughter…' _

-x-_**Yusuke**_-x-

Yusuke turned into the alleyway, each hand in a pants pocket. He stood there for a moment, searching. Though he couldn't see Hikari, he could sense a reiki-endowed presence.

"Yo."

"Yusuke."

Hikari walked out of the shadows and he blinked. She was wearing an all-black combat uniform, complete with steel-toed boots and black gloves, but there weren't any identifying symbols or the like.

"Where's your friend?" She asked.

"She'll be here." He said. "Yours?"

The woman chuckled.

"She'll be here." She gestured for him to follow her into the alleyway, and he did. As they walked, she held out an 8x11 photograph to him, and he accepted it. It was an aerial shot of a complex of buildings, shaped something like houses with adjoining faces, and situated at the end of a road. The complex was surrounded by a brick fence, beyond which were other buildings, housing on one side of the road and industrial on the other, while behind it were rails for the local trains. It just went to show how crowded the city was.

"This is the place," Hikari said. "During the day, they run a standard operation, but at night, kidnapped human victims are brought in for the slaughter instead."

"When did you find out about this?" He asked, glancing up from the picture.

"I received a tip that the place was teeming with youkai the day before yesterday." She said. "Speaking of which, the person who notified me is the one that's going to be joining us tonight, along with her companion. I investigated the plant that day and the day after, and by the time you came along we'd already hatched a plan. Having extra fire power never hurts, though."

He nodded. It was nice to see she hadn't been slacking off.

"So what exactly is the plan?" He asked.

"I'll explain that when the others get here." She said, stopping before a large chest covered up by junk, mostly broken wood and metal.

As she cleared away some of the debris, a figure dropped from the sky, landing beside them in the alleyway, the sudden arrival accompanied sounds of bare feet slapping down hard against pavement and flapping clothing.

Yusuke turned to look at the newcomer and raised his eyebrow.

It was a silver haired man… no, he wasn't human; the guy had youki, but it wasn't quite the same as a full-blooded youkai. He was wearing red outer clothing over white – it looked like something out of a feudal era painting, but Yusuke had no idea what the hell each part was called. The two triangular, silver-fur covered ears on his head gave away his inhuman heritage more obviously than the youki did.

Riding piggyback on him was a young woman, about Yusuke's age, maybe a year older. She wore a plain black t-shirt, black sweats, and unlike her mount, a pair of socks and running shoes. Her black hair went down to her back, though some rough fringes hung over the front of her face.

"_Red?_" Hikari asked with a frown. "You're going to be moving around at night in _bright_ _red?_"

"That's what _I_ said." The young woman on the silver haired man's back complained.

"Bah," The silver haired hanyou snorted as he let his passenger down. "I'm not going into combat _naked_. I couldn't put anything on over it, and there's no human armor you could _possibly_ have that would be as good as this, I didn't have much _choice_ now did I?"

Hikari shook her head as she knelt down and started inputting numerical combinations into the locks on the chest.

"Please excuse his stupidity," The other young woman said with a sigh as she walked over to stand with Yusuke and Hikari. She stopped before Yusuke and bowed. "My name is Higurashi Kagome, and my companion is called Inuyasha. I look forward to working with you."

He mirrored her bow with one of his own and a nervous chuckle.

"Aha, er, yeah, Urameshi Yusuke. Same to you."

"And I'm Saotome Ranma, nice ta meet'cha."

The three who were standing jumped at the sudden appearance of a small redhead beside Kagome and Yusuke.

"_Kyaa!?_"

"_What the hell!?_"

Inuyasha's hand quickly went down to his waist, as if to draw a sword, but he grasped at nothing and looked down, then grit his teeth.

"Heheh." Ranma chuckled with a wide grin. She was wearing a muscle-shirt and cotton-tights, both in midnight blue. The clothing hugged her curves and showed off her lean musculature. On her feet were a pair of slippers that she'd picked up on her way.

"What, you didn't notice? I've been here since before those guys." She said.

"Where did you _come_ from!?" Yusuke demanded.

Ranma raised an eyebrow.

"I just walked right on in, same way you did." She said.

Hikari glanced up at them.

"Really, Yusuke, I didn't expect you to be friends with a shinobi." She went back to what she was doing. "For those who don't know, my name is Kiyohara Hikari. I'm your run-of-the-mill police officer."

Ranma snorted.

"I'm no ninja." She said. "These guys are just blind."

The pink haired woman returned to opening the chest.

"That's what they all say." She said. There was a click and the chest popped open, and a dim green light lit up the alleyway.

The other four looked inside, and three of them did a double take.

"What the hell?" Ranma murmured.

"_Guns!?" _Yusuke added, eyes wide.

"To be exact, this one is a combat rifle." Hikari said, pointing to the weapon in question. "This here is a carbine. And this is a rocket propelled grenade launcher. These are concussion grenades… smoke bomb, flash bang, C4…"

Yusuke looked at all of the weapons stuffed inside the chest in shock.

"You're a reiki user, aren't you? Why would you need all of this!?"

"You can never be too prepared. If I run out of energy or come across one immune to reiki, then conventional weaponry makes a nice backup plan." She looked at Kagome. "You said you use bows, right?"

Kagome nodded, before glancing down at the weapons cache warily.

"Erm, yes, that's… right… I can bless the arrows to make them more effective against youkai and demons."

Hikari retrieved a compound bow and a full quiver, and handed it to her.

"Here."

The young woman accepted them with a surprised blink and stared at the pulleys.

"Oh, thank you. I didn't think you'd have one." She said. "Erm, I've never used this kind before…"

"It's not much different. And also… this," The pink haired woman continued, grabbing a semi-automatic pistol. She handed it to the young woman, who accepted it with a startled expression. "Start blessing the ammunition. I'll show you how to load it and fire in a bit. The bow too."

"Er, erm, I c-can't _possibly_ use this… _thing_…" Kagome stuttered.

"Just keep it in case of an emergency." Hikari said.

As Kagome stared at the gun dumbfounded, the pink haired woman grabbed a revolver and started looking it over.

Yusuke chuckled.

"What do I get?"

Hikari snorted.

"I don't trust you two boys enough to keep it in your pants. And I'm sure Saotome-san doesn't need one."

Yusuke frowned and opened his mouth to retort, but Ranma spoke first.

"Wait a second, why don't you let her bless all of the bullets?"

Hikari looked at her, then at the pistol in her hands.

"Hey, that's not a bad idea." She looked over at Kagome. "Do you mind?"

"Um…" Kagome looked up from her pistol. "I… sure, I guess…"

The next thing Hikari grabbed out of the chest made Yusuke frown.

"_Bulletproof vests?_" He demanded. "Are we really gonna need these against Youkai?"

Hikari looked over at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course we are. You think I'm the only one packing heat in this city?"

"Yeah," Kagome said with a sour frown. "If they didn't have guns, I'd have sicked Inuyasha on them the moment we noticed the damn place."

"I _still_ don't see why we _didn't_." Inuyasha growled.

Kagome sighed.

"Inuyasha, I've told you time and again, guns are a lot _stronger_ than they used to be." She complained. She looked over the group, and sighed. "Inuyasha has this crazy idea that all guns are the same, see. He's never fought against _automatic_ weapons though."

Hikari and Ranma rolled their eyes while Yusuke just stared at the vest that she'd had given him.

"Youkai with _guns?_" He muttered.

"Not all Youkai are S-class monsters. For the powerless grunts, automatic weapons are an easy way to boost offensive power against people like us, up to a certain point." Hikari said. "Otherwise we'd just chop through them like fodder. It just means whoever is behind this has at least half a brain."

Yusuke blinked. He had to admit, she had a point. There was one thing bothering him, though.

"Aint no regular cops go around packin' this kinda heat." He remarked.

"I'm _not_ a regular cop," she said. "I'm a _demon hunter_ cop. And you'd be surprised what local law enforcement has access to."

Yusuke snorted.

"No seriously, what the hell are you? Some kinda secret agent?"

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret, now would it." she said, picking up a sawed-off shotgun. She looked it over for a bit, before nodding to herself and setting it down on the ground. She reached in and took out belts with kunai and different types of shuriken on them, which she held out to Ranma. "Unless you're of the _Ryuu no Ichizoku_ or the _Chigumo Ichizoku_, these are probably better than anything you've got."

Ranma frowned.

"I'm _not_ a ninja," She said.

Hikari rolled her eyes.

"But you can _use_ them, right?"

Ranma crossed her arms.

"I can use any kind of weapon. So what? I prefer my hands."

Hikari tossed the belts at her.

"Just hold on to them, then. For my peace of mind."

Ranma caught them and sighed, shaking her head and shrugging.

"Whatever."

-x-

A minute later they followed her in through a door on the station, into a garage. Amongst the cruisers was a navy blue minivan, which Hikari approached.

"So, what _is_ the plan?" Ranma asked. "You said you'd explain it when we were all here."

Yusuke frowned as he tried to remember if Ranma had been around for that, then shook his head.

"_Ninjas_…" He muttered.

"I'm _not_ a ninja!"

"Well, on account of us having a shinobi, I'm adjusting the plan accordingly," Hikari said. "Really, you're an unexpected boon, Saotome-san."

Ranma sighed.

"You guys aren't gonna let that drop, are you?" She grumbled.

Hikari stopped before the car and reached into her pocket. A moment later the car beeped and the locks came undone.

"Get in." She said, walking around to the driver's side. "The overall plan hasn't changed. We need to stop their operations immediately, kill as many of them as we can, and confiscate sale records so we can see where the hell their… _product_ is going. The original plan was that we'd charge in, killing whoever got in our way, while freeing captives and trying to get to the documentation before someone could get it and escape, but now I was thinking you could sneak into the base while we _focus_ on freeing any captives."

Ranma groaned while Yusuke on the other hand, grinned.

"So we're gonna bust some heads open then?"

"Yes."

"Man, _I_ wanted to bust some heads too…" Ranma growled.

"You'll have to wait until you find the documentation," She said. "Confiscate any computer equipment you find too. Discs, flash drives, portable hard-drives if there are any. Destroy anything you can't take with you. If anyone interrupts you while you're doing that, then you can bust _their_ heads. Can you do it? We really need to know who else is connected to this operation."

Ranma sighed and hung her head.

"_Yeah, yeah_…"

-x-

As they drove along the expressway, Ranma stared out the window, her forehead pressed up against the cold glass. They passed by brightly lit city sections as Enka songs played on the radio. She was in the left back seat, next to Yusuke, with Inuyasha on Yusuke's other side. In front of her sat Kagome, who was similarly looking out her own window.

"How much longer?" Inuyasha asked, annoyed. "I could have gotten us _there_ _**already**_if you hadn't insisted we check in with you first!"

"Inuyasha, shut _up_." Kagome said.

As Inuyasha grumbled, Ranma's attention was caught by a very brightly lit and tall wall in the distance. The wall extended on in both directions, as far as she could see. Beyond the wall were numerous skyscrapers and the like, all of them as brightly lit as those in the special districts.

'_The heck is that wall there for?_' She wondered.

"Say," Kagome began. "Just how… _big_ is Academy City?"

Hikari glanced at her.

"Hmm? Didn't you learn that in high school?"

Kagome chuckled.

"Erm, I… was out sick a lot… ahaha…"

Hikari raised an eyebrow, but returned her focus to the expressway.

"It divides Tokyo Metropolis in half, and even took some space from Saitama and Kanagawa, so it's pretty big, I suppose. I'd say it's got a bigger land area than the special districts." The driver said. "Why?"

Kagome sighed.

"Five days ago, there wasn't even…" She stopped. "Erm, no, nothing. Sorry."

Ranma and Yusuke shared a glance.

"Five days ago?" They both blurted out. They glared at each other, but then Ranma continued. "What happened five days ago?"

Kagome glanced back at her.

"Nothing, nothing." The young woman said with a nervous smile. "Don't worry about it."

Ranma and Yusuke shared a look, but neither pressed the young woman further.

-x-

Eventually they turned onto a dark road. There were no lights on any of the buildings along the street, save for the complex at the end. The road had a shallow incline, and they could see more of it as they approached. As they neared, Hikari turned the car's lights off and slowed their approach to a crawl. When she was satisfied they were close enough – about a hundred meters or so – she pulled to the side of the road and killed the engine.

"Hard to believe this shit is going on right under our noses," Ranma muttered as they all climbed out of the minivan.

They were at the border of an industrial area and residential area. Cars were parked along the roadside, and a bed of flowers – all the same kind – grew along the sidewalk before the industrial buildings

"What the hell…"

After locking it up, they quietly approached the building. As they neared, they could see it was exactly as shown in the picture, but only it was now teeming with men, all dressed as guards. There was an iron-bar gate to admit entrance through the brick fence, protected by uniformed guards; others patrolled areas within and outside the fence. More could be seen on the rooftops of the complex, with high-powered searchlights pouring over the streets. They all ducked behind a car to avoid a light that was swinging towards them.

"The fuck? It's like some kind of military base," Yusuke complained. "They have this kind of security at every slaughterhouse?"

"No." Hikari said simply. "Their official reason for having armed guards is due to their previous workers _going missing so suspiciously_. _Worker Safety must be a priority_, or so they say."

Yusuke grit his teeth while Hikari took a quick survey of the area.

"So why didn't you try telling your bosses or whoever?" Ranma asked, looking around.

"The bureaucracy would have taken ages, during which time they'd have been tipped off." Hikari explained. "Add to that that I'd have needed some kind of proof of my suspicions, and they don't exactly give tours. Anyways, we'll ambush them and take as many out as we can in the first few seconds. We don't want any of them to escape, and we want to save as many captives as possible."

"_Guhhh…"_

They all froze at the sound of an eerie groan. A second later, a pale, naked man flashed into existence before them, standing slouched over in the street. His form fizzled again, like a bad picture on an old television, before solidifying, albeit slightly transparent. He had greasy, short hair, and his eyes were sunken into his skull. He was staring in their direction, but it seemed as if he were looking _through_ them.

The most alarming aspects of his appearance were that his torso was sliced open, revealing an empty cavity, the metal chain that extended out from the back of his ribcage and hung down to the ground before him, and the fact that, at each of the major joints for his limbs there was a deep slash, and a gaping wound on his neck, from which blood poured like a fountain.

"Gods," Kagome gasped, her hands rising to her mouth. She quickly turned away and closed her eyes.

"What the _fuck?_" Ranma whispered.

"It's a ghost," Hikari said with a wince. "A spirit of one of the people slaughtered for meat."

"_Guhh…ahhh…" _The dead man looked up at them, finally seeming to notice their presence. One of his mutilated arms rose up towards them. "_H…help… me…_"

He took a step towards them, but the movement caused his head to fall forward, and it hung from his neck by only a small piece of skin as blood fiercely gushed out from the wound.

Hikari brought her hands together in a meaningful gesture.

"There's nothing we can do for you now. I'm sorry." She said. "_Reikon Taisan."_

She let out a burst of Reiki.

"_Guuhhh-"_

The spirit flashed out of existence.

Ranma blinked and looked around.

"D…did you put it to rest?" She asked.

Hikari shook her head.

"Normal people can't send spirits off. I put him into remission, to slow down his _Chain of Fate's_ decay."

Ranma and Kagome looked confused by her statement.

"He'll reform later. Hopefully the Shinigami will be around here by then and notice it. If not…" She growled and shook her head. "We'll worry about that later. For now we have to stop them from killing more people. Higurashi-san, you're used to fighting with Inuyasha as a pair, yes?"

Kagome nodded, regaining her composure despite the encounter.

"We've fought together for some years. In both meanings of that statement…"

"In that case, Inuyasha, carry Higurashi-san to the rooftop. You two will clear out the guards up there, then Higurashi-san can provide long-range support from above while Inuyasha protects her." She looked over at Yusuke. "You and I will storm the ground troops in a full frontal assault." She narrowed her eyes. "Don't hold anything back. We're not taking _any_ prisoners tonight."

Yusuke nodded grimly, as the police-officer-slash-demon-hunter turned to face Ranma.

"Saotome-san, as I said earlier, you will infiltrate the base while we're attacking from the front. Kill _any_ youkai you come across, as quickly and efficiently as possible while seeking out the documentation we need. We can't let any of them escape, or they might identify us to their bosses."

Ranma winced.

"K…_Kill?_"

Hikari raised an eyebrow.

"Have you never killed anyone before?"

Ranma clenched her eyes shut.

"I… sort of, once, but… it was… circumstances, and…"

Hikari sighed.

"Saotome-san. Anyone participating in this systemized massacre has long since forfeited their rights to fair and equal treatment. We don't have the resources to capture them and give them fair trial anyway, and on top of that the sentence would be death regardless." She put a hand on the younger girl's shoulder. "We have the power to stop them from killing more people. We must use it."

Ranma bit her lip.

"Pfft, you've only killed one person before?" Inuyasha snorted. "What an easygoing world you live in, Kagome. Even your shinobi hardly have any blood on their hands!"

Ranma rolled her eyes while Kagome punched him in the face.

"_Ow!_"

She then turned to look at Ranma.

"Don't worry, Saotome-san. We're doing the right thing, here." She said with a solemn grimace. "Believe in _that_, alright? You saw what they did to that poor man."

Ranma nodded with a determined look.

"Okay. But… I'm really _not_ a ninja, you know."

Hikari nodded.

"Of course, of course. No such thing as ninjas. Anyways, good. Does everyone understand their jobs, then?" She asked.

They all sounded their agreements and she nodded again.

"Good. I don't expect there to be any enemies strong enough to cause this team trouble, but if for whatever reason you find yourself in a losing battle, fall back and regroup. We don't need anyone dying unnecessarily. And no large-scale destruction either, not until we're certain we've saved all of the human captives. This is a real battle situation with our lives on the line, so don't expect any quarter from the enemy."

Inuyasha snorted.

"I've been dealing with life and death battles since I was right out the womb." He snarled and held up a hand and clenched it, popping the bones into position loudly. "Let's just go _kill_ them already!"

"Remember, blitzkrieg is the name of the game. We hit them fast, we hit them hard." Hikari said, turning around. "Let's g…Wait a minute… the hell… who's that guy?"

"Buri… wha?"

As Inuyasha mumbled to himself, they all looked up to see a figure walking towards the guards at the entrance. It was a young man wearing a yellow tunic, black trousers, and a familiar bandana.

Ranma's jaw hung open. She groaned and brought a hand up to her face, shaking her head.

"Oh come _on. _You've _got to _be _kidding_ me…" She groaned.

-x-_**Ryouga**_-x-

"Excuse me!"

The two gun toting men turned to face him immediately. They raised their weapons and pointed them at him, and Ryouga held up his hands as a gesture of peace.

"Who the hell are you!?" One of them called out.

"I-I'm just a lost traveler!" Ryouga cried out. '_Ugh. Guns? It looks like I've crossed back into America… I'm surprised they speak Japanese, though.'_

The two men shared looks as he approached.

"I was hoping you could tell me where I am," He said with an exasperated sigh. "I've been traveling all day, you see…"

They lowered their weapons as he stopped right before them, and he sighed in relief.

"I'm trying to get to Tokyo, specifically Azabu Juuban. Or well, I suppose it doesn't matter at this point, I may as well try to get home…"

As he muttered the last part, the two "men" licked their lips as they surveyed him.

"Is that so," One of them said. "Well you're in luck! We're _in_ Tokyo. But you look pretty tired, traveler-san. Here, why don't you come on inside here and rest? You can leave in the morning."

Ryouga's eyes widened.

"Oh, truly? You'd let me stay the night?" He closed his eyes and clenched a fist. '_This world is filled with kind people! Unlike that oafish lout, Saotome!'_

"Yeah, _go on in!_" The guard said with a chuckle, pressing a button. There was a loud buzzer as the gate started to open automatically. "They'll be happy to see ya."

"Thank you ever so much, kind sirs." Ryouga said with a bow.

As he stood up, he was treated to the sight of Ranma suddenly appearing before one of the men and slashing man's throat out, followed by a sharp blow to the chin, sending him flying back so that his head slammed into the brick wall, instantly knocking him unconscious as blood spurted from the gaping wound in his neck. By the time the other guard took notice of her appearance, she was already repeating the attack on him.

Ryouga stood, speechless, as Ranma replaced the blood-soaked kunai on a belt strapped around her leg, and turned to face him.

"R…Ran…ma?" The lost boy asked, blood draining from his face. "D…did you just… _murder_ them?"

"They… they aren't people, Ryouga." She said, looking down at the corpses. "Look."

As blood spurted from the two unconscious men's necks, their bodies shifted. The first one's body grew, his clothing with him, and sprouted large fangs and claws as his skin took on a pasty yellow sheen, his blood similarly turning green. The other one shifted into a more canine shape, his face warping as a wolfish snout grew out from it, gray fur growing over every inch of his body.

"Wh-what the… _youkai?_"

"Yeah. And they're using this slaughterhouse to put out human meat."

Ryouga stared at her in shock as a group of people quickly ran over to join them.

"Good job, Saotome-san."

Ryouga looked around, confused.

"Who are these people?"

"They're helping me take out these guys," Ranma explained, jerking a thumb at the building. "Look, Ryouga, can you help out? We need every pair of hands we can get. They might have some people that are still alive in there."

Ryouga surveyed the group for a moment, before turning to look at the small complex.

"I… think I get the gist of the situation," He said. "But yeah, I'll do whatever you need."

Ranma nodded and turned to look at Hikari.

"He's a tough guy, really strong too. Let him soak up some damage for you," She said.

The woman nodded and turned to face Ryouga.

"You can come with me and Yusuke then. We don't have a vest for you, so try not to get shot." She said. "But really, it's quite the coincidence that your friend just happened to be around, Saotome-san."

Ranma sighed.

"This guy is _always_ where you least expect him," She grumbled.

Ryouga cleared his throat.

"Um, my name is Hibiki Ryouga," He said. "I'm not entirely sure what's going on but I hope I can be of help."

"I'm Kiyohara Hikari, this here is Higurashi Kagome-san, and that's Yusuke over there. We're short on time, so that'll have to do. Let's move."

"Oi! I have a name too, bitch!"

"Commence operation," Hikari announced. "Let's go,_ now!_"

And then she charged in through the gate. Yusuke was quick to follow, and Ryouga glanced at Ranma.

"Go with her, and… don't hesitate." Ranma said, before suddenly vanishing.

Ryouga grit his teeth as he glanced down at the two dead guards, then turned and ran after Hikari.

"Stupid bitch." Inuyasha growled as a sniggering Kagome climbed up on his back.


End file.
